3 strategies to support caregivers
- Most caregivers in Canada provide unpaid care to close family, friends, and community members, but often lack important supports.
- Research shows that acceptance and commitment therapy, early-stage strategies, and internet-based strategies are a few supports that caregivers can lean on to help improve various aspects of their well-being.
- Caregivers should speak to their healthcare team about available supports in their community.
Informal caregivers provide unpaid care for family, friends, and community members. These often unsung and inadequately supported heroes make up the majority of caregivers in Canada, and our reliance on them continues to grow as the population ages (1-2). That said, it’s no easy feat for caregivers to sufficiently support the people in their care and maintain their own health and well-being. Luckily, research continues to investigate and identify supportive strategies that caregivers can add to their ‘toolbox’ (3-5).
1. Acceptance and commitment therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a strategy that helps folks accept their negative thoughts and feelings and manage their experiences through healthy activities. Research shows that professionally delivered acceptance and commitment therapy can improve mental health in informal caregivers by enhancing mindfulness and decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (3).
2. Early-stage strategies
For caregivers of people living with cognitive impairments, early-stage strategies refer to those implemented when cognitive impairments are milder. These can include counseling or psychotherapy, education on caregiving or dementia and applying learnings, or a combination of the two. Research shows that early-stage strategies may result in small but positive improvements in well-being and the ability to provide care in caregivers of people living with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment. More high-quality research is needed on early-stage strategies (4).
3. Internet-based strategies
Internet-based strategies can exist as a complement or alternative to in-person services. In times when in-person services aren’t available or easily accessible, internet-based options can be especially useful. Research shows that internet-based strategies like self-help and human-supported strategies (e.g., programs or websites that have educational or skill building elements and include professional and/or peer support) can improve mental well-being by reducing depression, anxiety, and strain in caregivers of older adults (5).
Feeling heard, understood, and supported is important for all people, and caregivers are no exception. As a first step to discussing available supports, caregivers can reach out to their healthcare team or that of the person they are caring for. Additional resources include governmental and non-government agencies and peer support programs.
References
- Statistics Canada. More than half of women provide care to children and care-dependent adults in Canada, 2022. [Internet] 2023. [cited January 2025]. Available from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221108/dq221108b-eng.htm
- Wray S, Badets J, Keating N. Spotlight on Canadians: Results from the General Social Survey – Canada’s care economy: A conceptual framework [Internet] 2023. [cited January 2025]. Available from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/89-652-x/89-652-x2023002-eng.pdf?st=Bkw_2ceE
- Ye F, Lee JJ, Xue D, et al. Acceptance and commitment therapy among informal caregivers of people with chronic health conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(12):e2346216. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46216.
- Guay C, Auger C, Demers L, et al. Components and outcomes of internet-based interventions for caregivers of older adults: Systematic review. J Med Internet Res. 2017; 19(9):e313. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7896.
- Bayly M, Morgan D, Elliot V, et al. Does early-stage intervention improve caregiver well-being or their ability to provide care to persons with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Aging. 2021; 36(7):834-854. doi: 10.1037/pag0000642.
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