Compassionate care leave

Family caregivers are the backbone of our healthcare system. The Canadian Cancer Society believes that family caregivers must have easy and timely access to supports, programs and services they need when providing care for an ill or dying loved one at home.

The healthcare system restructuring that has occurred over the past several years has resulted in more health services being delivered in the home. Because of the aging and growing population, cancer incidence is increasing and more people are being treated for cancer and for a longer period of time. This results in an increased need for supportive care and services for people living with cancer and their caregivers.

In addition to psychological, emotional, spiritual and personal care, family caregivers may provide medical care such as administration of medications and injections, as well as services and care coordination. They carry out all of these responsibilities, under great stress and concern for their loved one, in an environment where they typically have little support from healthcare professionals.

Caring for a loved one in the advanced stages of cancer or other disease can also mean assuming the cost of some prescription and non-prescription medications, nutritional supplements, hygienic products, dressings, adapted devices (such as special beds and other furniture), transportation and parking related to medical appointments, among many other related requirements. In practice, a caregiver’s out-of-pocket burden can be over $1,000 a month, and this does not include the lost income related to absence from work in order to provide care.

A family caregiver loses approximately 23% of their workable hours to provide care and support, which can result in lost wages. In 2009, for new cancer cases, the estimated wage loss was $3.18 billion. Given Canada’s aging population, and the link between age and chronic disease such as cancer, the financial burden related to the loss of productivity due to care-giving is likely to grow in the coming years.

The loss of income and work are major concerns for family caregivers. Ninety-one per cent of households suffer a loss of income or a rise in expenses as a direct result of caring for a loved one with cancer.

Under the national Employment Insurance program, the federal government has instituted the Compassionate Care Benefit program. This program currently provides for a total of eight weeks of employment leave – six weeks paid leave and two weeks unpaid leave – for people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has risk of death within 26 weeks (six months).

In May 2013, the Alberta government passed Bill 203, the Employment Standards (Compassionate Care Leave) Amendment Act. This act amends Alberta’s Employment Standards Code to include compassionate care leave, which provides job security for Albertans who take time off work to care for a dying family member.

Bill 203 protects the job of Albertans who qualify for the federal Compassionate Care Benefit program. Albertans who do not access or qualify for the federal benefit can still use the leave but it would be unpaid. Under Bill 203, a family caregiver can use compassionate care leave totalling eight weeks within a six and half month period.

Albertans taking leave to care for an ill or dying loved one deserve job security. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that the Government of Alberta proclaim Bill 203 – the Employment Standards (Compassionate Care Leave) Amendment Act – to start protecting Alberta caregivers today.

Encourage the Government of Alberta to protect the job of family caregivers by proclaiming Bill 203; contact your MLA by calling 310-0000 or by visiting www.assembly.ab.ca.