[2]
The Health Council of Canada has just released their report, Seniors in need, caregivers in distress: What are the home care priorities for seniors in Canada? [3]
In every region examined, the majority of home care clients are women.
Some other important points about gender and home care to note in this report:
- Caregivers are most often women.
- Approximately half of the men studied in this report are married, compared to fewer than one-quarter of the women. Married seniors may have an advantage as the primary caregiver is most commonly a spouse (and most often a woman).
- The proportion of elderly women with no surviving children is expected to increase considerably in the next 30 years.
The CWHN with the Centres of Excellence in Women’s Health have done extensive work bringing to light the gender issues in home care in Canada. For a strong perspective on women and home care in Canada, read some of these resources we have produced:
Women and home care: why does home care matter to women? [4]
One hundred years of caregiving [5]
Why having a national home care program is a women's issue [6]
Network/Le Réseau Spring/Summer 2002 - Special issue: Women and Home Care. [7]
You can also search our database [8] to find many other resources on women and home care.