Balancing work and the role of caregiver

Many of us are unaware that we are acting as a caregiver for a parent, spouse, etc. According to the Regroupement des aidants et aidantes naturels, a caregiver is someone who provides assistance to a person with a loss of independence due to old age, mental illness or physical illness.

Do I qualify as a caregiver?

Here are some criteria that will help you identify whether you are a caregiver:
– You offer this person help in his or her daily life (prepare meals, do dishes, do housework)
– You offer this person help with his or her personal care (taking a bath, getting dressed, using the toilet)
– You offer this person moral support
– You offer this person help with managing his or her finances (paying bills)
– You offer this person transportation for appointments and shopping

In order to fulfill your commitments, you may have to be absent from work. An overview of the effects of caregiving responsibilities on caregivers, carried out by the ISQ, showed that 59% of caregivers for the elderly are women and among them, 54% are between 45 and 55 years of age. These people are therefore still active in the labour market and must learn to balance their work responsibilities and their role as caregivers.

Can I be absent from work occasionally?

Your employer must be flexible when you cannot report for work. In fact, your employer can grant you up to 10 days off per year so you can fulfill your caregiving duties. For example, if you only need half a day to accompany your relative to a medical appointment, you can divide your allocated days into half-days if your employer agrees. In addition, if your parent dies, it is within your rights to take a day of leave at your employer’s expense. You also have the option of taking four additional days at your own expense.

These leaves of absence, whether taken for family or personal reasons, are not remunerated.

Can I take time off temporarily?

The Caisse fédérale d’assurance-emploi has provided compassionate care employment insurance benefits. The payment of these benefits is intended for those who are temporarily absent from work in order to provide care or support to a family member suffering from a serious illness that is likely to cause death within 26 weeks (6 months). A compassionate care leave can therefore cover up to 26 weeks.

Read also:

• How to manage the assets of a parent transitioning toward a senior’s home
  

Sources:
Government of Canada
Institut de la statistique du Québec
Éducaloi