Canada’s senior population is growing rapidly, projected to reach over 10 million by 2037. But what about the number of caregivers available to support them? Not growing fast enough. This mounting imbalance is known as the caregiver squeeze, and it’s one of the most urgent issues facing our healthcare system today.
In this article, we break down what’s behind the caregiver shortage in Canada, how it impacts families, and what steps you can take now to navigate the crisis.
What’s Causing the Shortage?
The term “caregiver squeeze” refers to the increasing pressure on a limited number of professional and family caregivers to support a growing elderly population. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, one in four Canadians will be over the age of 65 by 2040. Yet, the healthcare system, especially in home and long-term care, is already strained.
What’s Causing the Shortage?
Several factors contribute to the growing gap in elder care:
Aging Workforce: Many professional caregivers themselves are nearing retirement age, creating a double-edged demographic shift.
Low Pay, High Burnout: Personal Support Workers (PSWS) and homecare aides face long hours, emotional labour, and low wages, leading to high turnover.
Inadequate Training Pathways: Limited opportunities for education and career growth discourage people from entering the caregiving profession.
Dependence on Informal Care: A growing number of adult children are becoming caregivers while juggling full-time jobs, often with little external support.
The Impact on Canadian Families
Families are bearing the brunt of the shortage in multiple ways:
- Delayed or Denied Services: Waitlists for publicly funded homecare and long-term care are longer than ever.
- Financial Pressure: With limited government support, many families are turning to out-of-pocket private care options.
- Caregiver Burnout: Unpaid family caregivers face emotional, physical, and financial tolls, often without adequate recognition or relief.
Read more about the broader elderly care crisis in Canada.
How Good Comfort Is Responding
At Good Comfort, we believe every Canadian deserves access to compassionate, coordinated, and professional care—whether it’s short-term support or long-term care at home. Our care model helps ease the squeeze by:
- Offering flexible, tiered care plans tailored to individual needs
- Providing dependable caregivers trained in both clinical care and emotional support
- Supporting family caregivers with respite care, wellness services, and transportation
- Care It Forward, our care movement to provide greater access to essential care
Learn about our Companion, Essential, and Advanced Care options.
What Can You Do?
Plan Ahead: Don’t wait until crisis strikes. Start having conversations with aging parents now. Here’s how to begin the care conversation.
Get Informed: Learn about public vs. private care options, long-term care waitlists, and financial planning strategies.
Ask for Help: Whether it’s through your doctor, a local health agency, or a provider like Good Comfort, don’t be afraid to seek out support and guidance.
How Good Comfort Is Responding
At Good Comfort, we believe every Canadian deserves access to compassionate, coordinated, and professional care—whether it’s short-term support or long-term care at home. Our care model helps ease the squeeze by:
- Offering flexible, tiered care plans tailored to individual needs
- Providing dependable caregivers trained in both clinical care and emotional support
- Supporting family caregivers with respite care, wellness services, and transportation
- Care It Forward, our care movement to provide greater access to essential care
Final Thoughts
The caregiver shortage isn’t going away anytime soon, but families don’t have to face it alone. By planning early and working with a trusted care provider, you can ease the burden and ensure your loved ones receive the support they need.
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