Developing New Strategies to Support Future Caregivers of Older Canadians with Disabilities: Projections of Need and their Policy Implications

Abstract

This paper projects annual growth rates between 2001 and 2031 in the need for informal and formal support among elderly Canadians with disabilities. The paper also discusses the policy implications of the increasing demand for informal caregivers. Using Statistics Canada's LifePaths microsimulation model, these projections incorporate disability rates and the potential availability of family caregivers. The authors conclude that continued focus on family to meet the needs of elderly Canadians is not sustainable. New public policies involving financial support and respite for family caregivers are proposed and their economic feasibility is evaluated.