Caregiving is one of the most complex and demanding roles a person can take on, and most who do it are not paid professionals, but family members and friends. 

Across the sector, many passionate organizations and professionals are stepping up to support unpaid caregivers through home and community care, adult day programs, system navigation, practical workshops and counseling. Advisory councils are also increasingly including caregivers so that programs are informed by their lived experience. 

This work matters deeply because it eases isolation, builds competence, and reduces some of the workload. 

But it is not enough.

The urgency for change is already visible in both human and system-level consequences. According to the Ontario Caregiver Organization’s latest Spotlight Report, 68% of Ontario’s 4.2 million caregivers say they have reached their breaking point. A statistic that especially points to this desperation: nearly one in five have taken the person they care for to an emergency department to get a break. In the past year alone, this translated into approximately 1.9 million emergency department visits and an estimated $643 million in costs to the healthcare system.

Much of the stress caregivers experience stems from fragmentation: navigating multiple electronic record systems that do not communicate, repeating information across providers, and reconciling conflicting medical advice. Even finding basic information about available caregiver supports can be difficult and time-consuming. Much of the burden of integration currently falls on caregivers. 

So how can we better support caregivers? As with any complex challenge, what’s required is a coordinated set of actions, often depending on deep, cross-sector partnerships to truly take hold. Now is the time to focus on solutions, how they can be implemented and how they can work together to build a cohesive, resilient system that meaningfully reduces caregiver burden.

Solution 1: Systemic reform and data integration

Centralized health bodies must prioritize interoperability and the breaking down of data silos. 

Encouragingly, there are early signs of movement. In Ontario, the government recently announced a significant investment in a new provincewide Primary Care Medical Record system aimed at integrating patient records, reducing administrative burden, and improving care quality. At this point, the focus is on connecting primary care providers such as family physicians and care teams, which signals real momentum toward better integration, even as it is currently concentrated within this part of the system.

Globally, there are interesting and promising models. Australia’s Carer Gateway provides a centralized platform and call centre where caregivers can access information, supports, and services in one place: a practical example of how system navigation can be simplified at scale.

Digital technologies offer real potential as practical tools. Secure, shared digital platforms could allow providers across settings to access consistent patient information. Caregivers, on the other hand, could see appointments, medication lists, and care plans consolidated in one place. 

The technology to do much of this already exists. What is required is coordinated leadership, investment, and urgency.

Solution 2: Expanding navigation and support through technology

There will never be enough care navigators or social workers to meet growing demand. While we must continue to invest in these roles, we cannot rely solely on human capacity in a system serving such a rapidly aging population.

AI-enabled tools — thoughtfully designed and ethically governed — can help extend that capacity. Emerging solutions already support remote monitoring of vital signs, fall detection, medication reminders, and even cognitive engagement through virtual companions. At the same time, digital navigation tools can help caregivers understand the system, identify resources, prepare for appointments, and determine eligibility for benefits.

Increasingly, these tools are being integrated into broader ecosystems. Platforms like Homethrive and Wellthy combine human expertise with digital tools to help caregivers coordinate care, navigate services, and access supports – and these are sometimes embedded directly into employer benefits. These concierge-style services are gaining traction among large employers, with companies such as Google, Meta, and Best Buy offering access to personalized caregiving support through platforms like Wellthy.

Other models, such as Yurtle in the UK, go even further, treating caregiving support similarly to insurance. When an employee is unable to provide care, replacement services can be activated, alongside care planning and emergency coordination. 

These innovations highlight the growing role of partnerships — between technology companies, service providers, healthcare systems, and employers — in building more responsive ecosystems of support.

Solution 3: A more flexible, supportive workplace

In Canada, 6% of people are “sandwich caregivers,” supporting both children and care-dependent adults. Among those who are employed, two-thirds report that caregiving has affected their work in the past year, leading to reduced hours, missed opportunities, or challenges in job-seeking. Women, most often the primary caregivers, are most impacted.

Traditional workplace models built on rigid schedules and constant availability are increasingly incompatible with the realities of caregiving. Caregivers of adults are still less supported than those caring for children, highlighting a gap that employers must address as part of broader workforce strategies.

Flexible work arrangements, caregiver leave policies, and access to caregiving benefits are no longer optional: they are essential components of a modern workforce strategy to avoid employee burnout and talent loss.

Solution 4: Strengthening information pathways

In Canada, caregiver tax credits and benefits vary widely across provinces and territories, and awareness remains low. Governments and the non-profit sector must work together to expand eligibility, improve access, and ensure caregivers know what supports are available to them.

What we consistently hear at Circle of Care is that caregivers mainly learn about supports available to them through family physicians and frontline healthcare providers. This makes it critical that these professionals are well-informed and equipped to guide caregivers effectively. 

This is why building better information pathways is critical. Caregivers should be guided, not left to navigate alone. A coordinated, proactive approach is the only way to ensure supports reach the people who need them most.

Conclusion

Organizations like the Ontario Caregiver Organization play a vital role in raising awareness, advocating for change, and connecting caregivers to resources — but they cannot carry this responsibility alone. What we need now is coordinated advocacy for system integration, accelerated investment in interoperable technology, expanded AI-enabled navigation tools, meaningful workplace reform, and stronger financial supports. 

We need cross-sector partnerships that bring together healthcare, technology, employers, and community organizations to build a system that works as a whole.

Caregivers are already doing extraordinary work — often at great personal cost. The question is whether our systems will finally evolve to meet them halfway. 

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