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opinion: the gap in canada’s aging system is coordinated support for family caregivers
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a study commissioned by the canadian medical association (cma) projected that the annual cost of senior care in canada would nearly double from $29.7 billion in 2019 to $58.5 billion by 2031.
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growing up, conversations about aging and care were common at our dinner table. my mom worked at the local senior community centre, and my dad worked at the retirement home right next door. when i would visit them for lunch, i saw firsthand how complicated the system could be for families and how important it was to approach every situation with empathy and a human-first mindset. much of what i understand about caregiving today comes from watching the way my parents showed up for others.
what they were seeing were families doing their best to navigate incredibly difficult decisions, often feeling overwhelmed and alone.
these people were part of the sandwich generation, adults who are simultaneously raising children and supporting aging parents. more than 1.8 million canadians are part of the sandwich generation. while awareness is growing on the mental health implications this group faces, gaps persist in the actual support they are receiving to combat some of life’s most challenging moments. let’s break down how coordinated support can help.
burning the candle at both ends
managing unpaid caregiving responsibilities may not be a desk job, but it is indeed a tough job. those metaphorically squished by the sandwich often feel overwhelmed, stressed and unsupported.
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in recent years, studies have emerged to showcase the negative mental impact on canadians. the results speak for themselves. one in four caregivers report poor or fair mental health. that same study revealed that caregivers are feeling tired (47 per cent), worried or anxious (44 per cent) or overwhelmed (37 per cent) because of caregiving responsibilities. another finding points to the extra shift i alluded to before — unpaid caregivers spend five hours on care per day; that’s nearly equivalent to a full-time role in the working world, with many already working a full-time job!
on top of the mental strain, default caregivers are forced to navigate a very complex national and provincial health-care system, respectively. canada faces a chronic shortage of long-term care beds, with wait-lists ranging from months to years, depending on the province. in british columbia, the provincial seniors advocate reports the number of people waiting for long‑term care beds has jumped from about 2,380 in 2016 to more than 7,200 in 2025, and average wait times have climbed to roughly 290 days — nearly double what they were eight years ago.
in ontario, more than 50,000 people are currently on the long‑term care wait-list, with many waiting at least six months or longer before a placement becomes available. add the complexity and emotional impact of complex care needs, and canadians are faced with a highly fragmented system with no central place to figure out what care is available, what it costs or how to access it.
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the silver tsunami is near
our population is rapidly aging, and it will only make this problem worse. nearly one in four canadians will be over age 65 by 2030. demand for elder care is set to double.
a study commissioned by the canadian medical association (cma) projected that the annual cost of senior care in canada would nearly double from $29.7 billion in 2019 to $58.5 billion by 2031. rising demand is driven by the aging baby boomer population, with long-term care patients expected to reach 606,000 and home care patients hitting approximately 1.8 million by 2031.
the boom is expected to be so big that there is a new category of tech emerging, agetech, devoted to improving the quality of life, health and safety for older adults.
as elder care needs rise, so does the demand for caregiver support. if we don’t address this gap now, everyday caregivers, many of them parents balancing work and family, will be left to navigate an impossible situation alone.
the real gap in canada’s aging system? coordinated support for family caregivers
the well-being of caregivers matters. the healthcare system is doing everything it can to expedite wait times for long-term care facilities, but it’s actually navigating those wait times that remains a blind spot. canadians need logistical support in managing the day-to-day realities of having to make incredibly important decisions for their loved ones. technology can be used to centralize this information in one spot, but ultimately, pairing this with a licensed expert is integral to ensuring a human approach to a very real problem. the problem lies in the infrastructure of navigating different provincial rules and grant guidelines.
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canadians should not have to carry the emotional and logistical weight of caregiving on their own. centralized systems can help, and it’s just the beginning of the role innovation can have to improve the well-being of caregivers.
logan gibson is founder and ceo of kindly, canada’s first aging and family care navigation platform.
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