Supporting someone close to you who is living with an illness, a disability or loss of autonomy means taking on the role of a caregiver (or an “informal caregiver”).
This role is invaluable, but it can also be demanding at times. It’s a role that you’ll discover and get better at over time, at your own pace. Here are some guideposts to help you move forward one step at a time depending on your situation.
Recognizing yourself as a caregiver
Recognizing yourself as a caregiver will help you find the best support. You’ll discover a variety of support measures and resources that can assist you in your role.
As a caregiver, you’re supporting someone close to you who needs assistance because of their age, illness or disability. This person may be your partner, child, cousin, friend, etc. For example, your role may involve:
- scheduling medical appointments,
- helping with personal care like hygiene, hair care, shaving, help with dressing, and more,
- preparing meals.
To find out more about your role as a caregiver, visit the Quebec government’s webpage.
|
The organization L’Appui: An essential resource L’Appui proches aidants is an organization that provides information, training, psychological support and respite for caregivers. |
No certification required
No legal document is required to be recognized as a caregiver, nor is there a mandatory certificate. Your actions and involvement are what make you a caregiver.
But a certificate can be useful for certain procedures
To assert certain rights as a caregiver, some organizations may request a certificate as part of specific administrative procedures. In such cases, you can make your status official by completing the form required by the organization concerned. For example:
- To exercise your right to time off with your employer, fill out this form (French only).
- To apply for a caregiver tax credit, fill out this form.
You can do this anytime you want. Depending on your situation, you may never need these certificates.
Getting information and training
Enhancing your knowledge as a caregiver can help you navigate the unknown, at your own pace. But you don’t have to learn everything at once!
To get the legal tools you need as a caregiver, you can consult our printable guide, our web guide or take our online workshops.
You can also visit the website of the organization L’Appui proche aidants, which offers free online workshops and information to better understand your loved one’s illness or condition.
Determining your loved one’s needs
What does your loved one need? Perhaps they need care, accompaniment or help with completing certain tasks or managing certain appointments.
Their needs evolve over time. Clarifying your loved one’s situation will help you better identify the necessary resources.
To better understand these needs and how to respond to them, you can contact your local health authority (CISSS or CIUSSS).
Knowing the available support resources
Many resources exist to support you in your role as a caregiver. Just knowing they exist can go a long way to lightening the burden.
For example:
- The Caregiver Support Helpline is a professional, confidential and free telephone service for caregivers, family and friends and health professionals run by the organization L’Appui.
- Proche aidance Québec (French only) brings together local and regional organizations seeking to improve the quality of life of caregivers.
Taking care of yourself
Your role as a caregiver can affect your physical and mental health. Taking care of yourself is vital: it’s the very foundation of your role as a caregiver and will help you better support your loved one in the long run.
For example, you can:
- Join a support group for caregivers.
- Call on respite service to catch your breath and take a much-needed break.
- Consult the web platform called Au fil du temps, which offers psychological information for caregivers.
Check your loved one’s legal documents
Your loved one may have already expressed their wishes about how to deal with certain situations: a health problem, an inability to make decisions, or death.
Up-to-date legal documents can make your role a lot easier. You can check whether your loved one has:
- a power of attorney,
- an assistance measure,
- a protection mandate,
- advance medical directives (AMD),
- a will.
These documents are not mandatory, but they can help you make decisions and reduce uncertainty.
If your loved one is still capable, it’s not too late to update these documents or prepare new ones. Depending on their needs and situation, you can support them in this process without drawing up the documents on their behalf.
When your loved one is no longer capable: Understanding the options
What do you do when someone is no longer able to make decisions for themselves or manage their property? This is when the person is declared to be “incapacitated”.
- If your loved one has a protection mandate, this document must be made official (homologated).
- If no mandate exists, you can consider temporary representation or establishing a tutorship, depending on the situation.
Are you the parent of a child living with temporary or permanent incapacity? Various measures exist depending on whether your child is a minor or an adult.
Finding out about measures to balance work and caregiving
The role of a caregiver can impact your professional life. You could be entitled to time off or other measures to help you better balance caregiving and work.
To find out more about the measures available, consult this website about work-caregiving balance.
Exploring financial assistance options
Taking on the role of a caregiver can increase your expenses and reduce your income. Financial assistance and tax credits can offer some financial relief.
To find out more, here are some resources to consult:
- The websites of Quebec’s tax agency, Revenu Québec,d and the Canada Revenue Agency.
- Service Canada’s Benefits Finder tool, to help you find the federal and provincial programs and services that correspond to your situation.