What is the issue?
Caregivers are vital partners in the recovery journeys of loved ones who are living with mental health problems and illnesses. To ensure them a good quality of life, caregivers provide emotional, social, and material support, which includes navigating and advocating for services. Yet, still too often, the caregiver’s role, voice, and well-being are overlooked.
This lack of interest has significant consequences, especially for the caregivers themselves: nearly 50 per cent see their role as having a negative affect on their own mental health.
Engaging caregivers and supporting their needs would bring many direct and indirect benefits:
- improved health for clients and their families
- less reliance on health services
- more meaningful partnerships in our systems of care
- better system responsiveness to family and community needs
- greater caregiver confidence and competence
What are we doing?
Since 2008, we have worked with caregiver supporters on providing advocates, policy makers, and providers with resources and tools to better engage caregivers and meet their needs:
- Created to inspire mental health and addiction service organizations and provide them with good practices in engaging caregivers
- Includes examples of good family engagement in care, programs, and policies
A roadmap with 41 recommendations to guide system planners, policy makers, and service providers in planning and implementing mental health care services that take caregivers’ needs and perspectives into account.
Informing the Future
Mental Health Indicators for Canada
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) created a number of resources to support caregivers of people living with a mental health problem or illness. They are designed to support the mental health and wellness of the caregiver as well as improve the care of their loved one. Click on the links below for more information.