Caregivers Alberta

📢 Have you or someone you care for visited an Alberta hospital since October 2024? 📢 No matter the reason for the visit, your experience is valuable! Even if you are a caregiver who supported a loved one through hospital care – your feedback is important in understanding the challenges caregivers face.  By sharing your experience, you will help identify what’s working in hospital care, and where changes are needed. Your voice will help us push for real improvements in Alberta. ⏰ The survey closes on April 11th - so don’t wait! Share your experience today and encourage others to do the same.  Caregivers Alberta is proud to work with our partners to drive better health outcomes for caregivers and those they care for! Let’s make a difference together. 💙 🔗 Complete the survey today at: https://lnkd.in/gCmMSHCC #CaregiversAlberta #AlbertaCaregivers #CareGiving #CaregiverWellness #AlbertaCaregiver #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #CaregiverPeerSupport #Alberta #YEG #YYC

🚨 New resource alert! #SocialPrescribing can help caregivers, who give so much of themselves under impossible conditions, to survive and thrive in their communities. This Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing toolkit can help organizations and professionals transition to a more inclusive and empathetic care system for #caregivers: one that values not only caregivers' labour but also our health, wellbeing and belonging. Download it here: https://lnkd.in/g-nPTzTM - Co-produced with the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, Azrieli Foundation, Family Caregivers of BC, Caregivers Alberta, The Ontario Caregiver Organization & Caregivers Nova Scotia

April 2nd is World Autism Acceptance Day! Today is about inclusion, understanding, embracing neurodiversity, celebrating strengths, and honoring the perspectives and experiences of autistic individuals. At Caregivers Alberta, we believe autistic individuals, families, and caregivers deserve to be valued, understood, and supported - without barriers. We are here for you and are committed to creating safe spaces where everyone feels accepted exactly as they are. #CaregiversAlberta #WorldAutismAcceptanceDay #AutismAcceptance

🌟 Today is National Caregiver Day! At Caregivers Alberta, we're shining a spotlight on the incredible working caregivers in our province who balance the dual responsibilities of paid work and unpaid caregiving for family members, friends, and neighbours with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or challenges related to aging. These unsung heroes make up a significant portion of our workforce. Did you know that: 1 in 4 employed Albertans are family caregivers? That's 630,000 Albertans juggling work and caregiving responsibilities! 30% of the Canadian workforce are caregivers, with over 5.6 million employed caregivers aged 19-70 across the country In Alberta, more than 1 in 4 individuals (26%) aged 15+ are caregivers for family, friends, and or loved ones. The impact of caregiving on employment is substantial: ▶️ 51% of caregivers miss paid workdays, averaging 6.5 days per year. ▶️ 14% reduce their paid work hours, working 12.1 fewer hours per week on average. ▶️ 5% exit the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities, often not by choice. Caregivers also experience significant financial burdens: ▶️ 66% of caregivers incur extra expenses, often for transportation, prescription drugs, and home modifications. ▶️ 18% of caregivers with extra expenses report financial hardship, putting their current and future financial security at risk. ▶️ 85% of those experiencing financial hardship use or defer savings to cover these costs. Employers, it's crucial to recognize the value of supporting your caregiving employees. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also benefits your business by reducing absenteeism and improving productivity. 👉 Caregivers Alberta's Work & Care program is designed with both employers and employees in mind. This program offers facilitator-led sessions from an evidence-based curriculum on how to support employees with caregiving responsibilities and help shift the culture in your organization by addressing caregiving as a workplace issue. Connect with Caregivers Alberta today for a free consultation on how Work & Care can be a value-add to your workplace. All metrics cited are based on analyses of Statistics Canada's 2018 General Social Survey conducted by Research on Aging, Policies and Practice (RAPP), Dept. of Human Ecology, University of Alberta. #CaregiversAlberta #NationalCaregiverDay #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #YEG #YYC #Alberta

🌟Supporting Family Caregivers through the Gift of Securities 🌟 As caregivers, our days may be emotionally exhausting, physically taxing, and seemingly impossible. Being a caregiver truly affects every aspect of a person’s life. “There are lots of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Many of us don’t see ourselves as caregivers, we do what needs to be done,” says Joanne (pictured on the far left). “But the physical and mental intensity of the role of caregiver is demanding and it gets more intense over time.” As our government continues to shift towards a model of care that places more emphasis on aging in place, Alberta’s caregivers need resources and supports now more than ever. "Caregivers Alberta is incredibly important work supporting caregivers. Not a lot of people recognize how intense the role can be. Caregivers deserve every ounce of support they can get," says Joanne. Joanne reached out to ask if we could accept a gift of securities. Because we use Canada Helps to process our regular donations, we were able to utilize their services to process Joanne’s donation. "The process is very straightforward… Canada Helps provides a form on their website and helpful detail about the process. It's super easy,” notes Joanne. Not only does the charity benefit from donated securities, but you do as well! You will receive a tax receipt for the market value of the security on the date it is received by the organization. Tax credits can be saved to use on tax returns for 5 years from the date of transaction. Thanks to donors like Joanne, Caregivers Alberta will continue to be there for Alberta’s one-million family caregivers as they navigate their caregiving journey. 🔗 Click here to donate to Caregivers Alberta today: https://lnkd.in/gKjYmWxT #CaregiversAlberta #AlbertaCaregivers #CareGiving #AlbertaCaregiver #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #Alberta #YEG #YYC #Edmonton #Calgary

Meet Patty, an inspiring individual from Central Alberta who embarked on a transformative caregiving support journey with the guidance of her compassionate coach, Lana Matthews. On September 11, 2024, Patty began her journey, aided by Lana's empathetic and nonjudgmental approach. Lana provided a safe space for Patty to share the emotional challenges and burdens of caregiving, validating her feelings and offering understanding. Their bond was strengthened by shared caregiving experiences, enabling them to navigate this path together. As Patty moved forward on her journey, Lana helped her recognize her inner resilience and utilize resources to ease her caregiving responsibilities. Within two months, Patty's growth was celebrated as she gained confidence and strength to embrace new opportunities. Her story highlights the transformative power of empathy and support in caregiving. Caregivers Alberta expresses gratitude to Patty for sharing her experience and remains dedicated to amplifying caregivers' voices across the province, ensuring their stories are valued and heard. #CaregiversAlberta #FamilyCaregiver #AlbertaCaregiver #Alberta #CaregivingJourney #SupportSystem #CaregiverStory #Compassion #Caregiving #Inspirational

🌟 The National Caregiving Strategy Webinar is available on YouTube! 🌟 If you missed the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence webinar about the National Caregiving Strategy for Canada, you can now watch it on YouTube! This webinar discussed the components of the National Caregiving Strategy and how you can get involved in making Canada the greatest place in the world to give and receive care. If you are a caregiver, know someone who is, or want to support caregivers in Canada, this webinar is worth a watch! Watch the webinar at: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gzSgDrQy #CaregiversAlberta #AlbertaCaregivers #Caregiving #CaregiverWellness #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #YYC #YEG #Alberta #CanadianCentreForCaregivingExcellence #CCCE

⭐ Meet Our Team! ⭐ Today, we want to introduce you to Lana Matthews! Lana is a Caregiver Coach, and has worked with Caregivers Alberta since April 2021 - nearly 4 years now! To help you get to know Lana a bit better, we asked her a few questions: ❓ What is your primary role and responsibilities at Caregivers Alberta?  “As a caregiver and coach for Caregivers Alberta, I am honoured to support caregivers across the province. Bringing caregivers together, building healthy trusting relationships, sharing knowledge and resources, strengthening and empowering caregivers to lead as experts of their situation is at the heart of what we do at Caregivers Alberta.” ❓ What is your professional goal for 2025? “My professional goal for 2025 is to continue to create awareness of the importance of honoring caregivers while providing a safe and supportive space free of unbiased judgment appreciating caregivers for who they truly are.” ❓ Please share an interesting fact about yourself! “One of my greatest achievements was qualifying for the B.C. Track & Field High School Provincial Championships and later in life coaching the Medicine Hat Track and Field team.” Thanks so much, Lana! You are such a kind and compassionate person, and a very important part of our team! We are so grateful for you. #CaregiversAlberta #AlbertaCaregivers #CareGiving #CaregiverWellness #AlbertaCaregiver #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #YEG #Edmonton #YYC #Calgary #Alberta

March 20th is Two-Spirit & Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Awareness Day. This is a time to honour the diversity, beauty, and resurgence of Two-Spirit and Indigenous queer and trans identities across Turtle Island. This year’s theme is ‘Access’ - something that Caregivers Alberta believes strongly in. All people deserve equal access to healthcare and community supports without fear of discrimination. As allies, it’s our time to stand in solidarity with our Two-Spirit friends. Let’s amplify the voices of Two-Spirit and Indigenous communities. #2SpiritDay #SpringEquinox #CaregiversAlberta

Caregivers Alberta is so excited to be a part of The 55+ Social Prescribing Project! This project is supported by the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council (ESCC) in partnership with Sage Seniors Association, JFS Edmonton, MULTICULTURAL HEALTH BROKERS MCHB, Drive Happiness, Edmonton Meals on Wheels, and Caregivers Alberta! The 55+ Social Prescribing Project is funded by the Government of Alberta and Healthy Aging Alberta. The project purposefully links the healthcare system with community-based senior serving organizations through an established referral pathway – a “prescription.” Social prescribing aims to address the social determinants of health (SDOH) which comprise of non-medical factors that affect a person's health and longevity such as such as economic policies, education, income, housing, and access to healthcare.  The social prescribing approach can reduce the demand on professional health providers and promote seniors’ resilience in their communities by connecting people with nonclinical services in the community. These programs provide opportunities to develop new skills, participate in meaningful activities, and establish a sense of connectedness with communities. Caregivers Alberta is honoured to be part of The 55+ Social Prescribing Project. Through this collaborative approach, Caregivers Alberta will be able to increase our capacity to provide non-medical supports to senior family caregivers in the Edmonton area while expanding our partnerships to increase referral pathways to connect caregivers to the services they need. 🔗 To learn more about The 55+ Social Prescribing Project, please visit: https://lnkd.in/grFd9H2r #CaregiversAlberta #AlbertaCaregivers #Caregiving #CaregiverWellness #FamilyCaregiver #SeniorCaregiver #CaregiverPeerSupport #YYC #YEG #SocialPrescribingDay #SocialPrescribing