Understanding the Needs of Caregivers Through COVID-19
To build the programs and services needed to support caregivers through the pandemic and beyond, the OCO turned to caregivers across the province and asked them how COVID-19 has impacted their mental health, work-life balance, how they provide care and more. OCO gained insights from caregivers through the 2020 Spotlight Report, smaller caregiver surveys done throughout the year, and conversations with over 400 caregiver partners who generously volunteered their time and insights.
We learned that by the Fall of 2020, 54% of caregivers said they were finding it harder to manage their caregiving responsibilities since the pandemic began and were worried about the toll it was taking on their own mental health.
The impact of COVID-19 on caregivers has been and continues to be significant. While every caregiver experience is unique, caregiver insights helped OCO to categorize eight key themes.
Eight Ways the Pandemic has Impacted Caregivers
- Caregiving responsibilities are more time consuming
- Caregivers are more in need of respite but fewer are able to take a break
- Caregiver mental health is a major concern for caregivers
- Caregivers for those with mental health or addiction issues face additional challenges during the pandemic
- The pandemic has notably increased the financial impact for caregivers
- Even during a pandemic, caregivers are hesitant to admit they are struggling
- Working remotely has eased the pressure on some working caregivers during the pandemic
- Intense and experienced caregivers are a small but incredibly important group who have unique needs, especially due to COVID-19