Guiding Principles
Based on what we have learned, the following principles guide our ongoing work:
- Family caregivers must be recognized for the essential role they play in Canada's health and social systems
- Caregiving is not an individual responsibility, it is a social and collective responsibility
- Supports need to emphasize the voice and choice of each caregiver
- Supports need to be multi-faceted, flexible, coordinated, and involve partnerships with the person who needs care, the caregiver, community providers, the health care system, schools and others
- The needs of caregivers change over time, so the supports they need must also change
- Caregivers only truly experience relief when the needs of the person they provide care for are met through meaningful and appropriate levels of supports and services