Many caregivers are patients too — and many of Canada’s workplaces aren’t built for that reality
New HealthPartners report shows employees are quietly balancing paid work, unpaid caregiving, and their own health needs
OTTAWA, ON — A new HealthPartners report uncovers that many people supporting loved ones through serious illness are also managing health conditions of their own, while also trying to stay in the workforce.
The report, Who Supports the Support Person? is based on a national survey conducted through HealthPartners’ Health Advisory Network. It found that 30% of caregivers surveyed were also patients managing their own health condition(s). Among this group, 60% were employed.
For these employees, caregiving and being a patient don’t sit neatly outside of work. They’re woven into the same days people are supporting someone else, managing their own health, and trying to keep up at work. For employers, that means these realities don’t stay at home. They’re already part of the workday.
“This report challenges the assumption that patients, caregivers, and employees are separate groups,” said Margaux Stastny, CEO of HealthPartners. “For many Canadians, those roles overlap. They’re managing their own health while caring for someone else and trying to succeed at work—and too often they do it quietly until they reach a breaking point.”
The pressure is showing up clearly. Among caregivers who were also patients, 84% had experienced burnout, 80% reported a high mental health impact, and 69% said the support they receive is less than they need.
The report also finds that caregiving is already a workplace issue, whether employers can see it or not. Nearly two-thirds of caregivers (62%) surveyed were employed. Among employed respondents, more than one in three (38%) spent eight or more hours a week caregiving on top of their jobs, and one in five (21%) spent 21 or more hours a week. Only 30% of employed caregivers said they were able to keep working as usual. One in four (25%) needed workplace accommodations to continue working, and nearly one-third (32%) of all respondents experienced job disruption, including reduced hours, changing jobs, leaving work entirely, or being fired or demoted.
“The cost of ignoring caregiving doesn’t just fall on employees,” said Stastny. “It shows up in absenteeism, burnout, turnover, and lost talent. Employers that make it easier for people to balance work and caregiving are more likely to retain experienced employees and maintain a resilient workforce.”
The report also points to a gap between the support that exists and the support people can actually access. More than one-third (37%) of respondents didn’t know caregiver services existed in Canada, and half (51%) said they currently receive no extra help at all.
The findings build on previous Health Advisory Network reports that have explored the realities of living with health conditions at work and navigating the roadblocks to diagnosis. Together, the reports show that when people are managing illness, waiting for answers, or supporting someone through care, the impact reaches far beyond medical appointments.
HealthPartners is calling on employers to treat caregiving and being a patient as workforce realities, not exceptions. That means creating workplaces where people know what support is available, understand how to ask for it, and can get help before they reach a crisis point. For employees, that can mean the difference between coping quietly and feeling supported. For employers, it can mean stronger retention, less disruption, and a workforce better able to stay engaged.
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About the report
Who Supports the Support Person? is based on a HealthPartners’ Health Advisory Network survey of caregivers across Canada. The survey was fielded in English and French. A total of 200 responses were received. The survey is not intended to be nationally representative. For other reports through this initiative, we invite you to read: Roadblocks to Diagnosis: Symptoms of a Crisis & Priorities for Improvement and Pathways to Inclusion: Managing Health Conditions in Canadian Workplaces.
About HealthPartners
HealthPartners brings workplaces, health charities, and the communities they support together under a single, shared purpose: to improve the lives of people across Canada who are living with serious illness through innovative workplace fundraising campaigns. Through its 20 member charities, HealthPartners helps connect people to trusted health information, programs, community, and condition-specific support.
Media contact
Julia Bacic
Communications Specialist
HealthPartners