Inclusion and Caregiving in the Spotlight

For several years, organizations involved in caregiving like GASO have been advocating and pressuring governments for full recognition of caregivers. Making the definition of a caregiver more inclusive was central to these demands. Thanks to this mobilization, the new Act to recognize and support caregivers proposes a more inclusive and comprehensive definition of caregiving.

"A caregiver is defined as anyone who provides support to one or more individuals in their circle who have a temporary or permanent impairment, whether physical, psychological, psychosocial, or other, regardless of their age or living environment, with whom they share an emotional or familial bond or not" (chapter R-1.1).

Just like the needs of the person being helped and the type of emotional bond that connects the caregiver to the individual being assisted, the form of support provided can also be quite diverse: from transportation to healthcare assistance, to household chores, emotional support, and more. Primarily, the support offered aims to maintain or improve the quality of life of the person being helped.

Two recent cultural productions, one cinematic and the other theatrical, address often underrepresented aspects of caregiving and depict various caregivers who sensitively - in both challenging and enlightening ways - bring awareness to this inclusive vision.

Dehors Serge Dehors | Documentary by Pier-Luc Latulippe and Martin Fournier

Currently showing at Cinéma Beaubien, 2396 rue Beaubien E, Montreal.

Both an awareness tool and a genuine tribute to the devoted role of caregivers, the documentary Dehors Serge dehors highlights a reality often overlooked: caregiving in the context of supporting someone with a mental illness. The film focuses on the stories of four caregivers surrounding actor Serge Thériault, who is experiencing severe depression. The caregivers’ testimonies immerse us in very relevant themes, such as caregiver burnout and mistreatment.

"With Dehors Serge Dehors, Pier-Luc Latulippe and Martin Fournier renew their ability to tackle delicate subjects and highlight where light can be found in reality's sometimes dark aspects, in a cinematographic proposal filled with humanity and exceptional aesthetic strength" (RIDM programming collective, 2021).

Rose et la machine | by Maude Laurendeau

A creation and production by Porte Parole, presented at the Théâtre Jean-Duceppe from November 17 to December 18, 2021

Rose et la Machine is a documentary theater production by Maude Laurendeau that primarily tackles the theme of autism and inclusion, questioning us about the current place of neurodiversity in our society. In this personal family story, Laurendeau reveals with transparency and sensitivity her reality as the mother of an autistic child.

Although the play does not directly address caregiving, Laurendeau shares her reality, challenges, and the multiple emotions she had to face following her daughter Rose's diagnosis. Gradually, the issues of caregiving unfold before the audience: isolation, burnout, financial insecurity, guilt, and more. Julie Lebreton joins Maude Laurendeau on stage to portray 43 characters that continually remind us of the obstacles Maude must overcome in dealing with health and education systems that offer too little space for Rose and leave Maude in deep distress.

Despite numerous hurdles, the mother-daughter relationship depicted throughout the performance is accompanied by shafts of light and small victories that sensitively bring to light the positive feelings caregiving can generate.