Caregivers, family caregivers: an equivalent role?

By addressing the issues of caregiving from a feminine perspective, GASO hopes to inspire reflections that will help pave the way for a better sharing of caregiving responsibilities, as well as prioritize social structures that support female caregivers.

The Challenges of Female Caregiving

March 8 will mark International Women's Rights Day, and on this occasion, GASO wishes to highlight the significant role that women play in caregiving. For several years, the healthcare system has increasingly shifted towards home support, and it is mainly women who have mobilized to fill the caregiver role. In fact, they represent 58% of caregivers in Quebec.[1]

Thus, we wish, first and foremost, to advocate for the recognition and importance of the unpaid work predominantly undertaken by female caregivers. Although public policies describe caregiving as a free and informed choice, "for 42.3% of caregivers, this role was accepted as a constraint they did not choose to assume and which they feel they cannot escape."[2] Additionally, female caregivers are more likely to face economic obstacles, resulting in low incomes for many.[3]

Same Role, But Distinct Responsibilities

A recent study by the Conseil du statut de la femme highlights that women are more likely to dedicate time to helping and caring for a loved one, especially when the required weekly support exceeds 4 hours.[4] This significant involvement in caregiving leads many women to reorganize their schedules. Many caregivers even withdraw from the public sphere to fulfill this role, which can threaten their financial status and cause isolation. In fact, "there are more female caregivers with low income."[5]

This study also highlights that in caregiving, the nature of tasks performed by women differs from those generally carried out by men. Figure 2 illustrates that women deal with a wider variety of tasks and respond to needs requiring significant personal investment.[6] Medical treatments, personal care, domestic chores, and emotional support are good examples of this type of investment. In many cases, the caregiver finds herself acting as a psychologist, nurse, lawyer, accountant, social worker, and more, without having practiced in these fields.

It is important to note that, in the pandemic context we are experiencing, the reduced access to home support services, primarily covering these typically feminine tasks, has significantly increased the unpaid work done mainly by female caregivers. In a context where such help can be particularly difficult to accept from the caregiver, its removal can be especially frustrating and lead to severe psychological and physical consequences for caregivers.

[1] Raphaëlle Corbeil, "Caregiving: The Invisible Work Often Carried by Women," Gazette des femmes, from: https://gazettedesfemmes.ca/14335/proche-aidance-un-portrait-qui-donne-lheure-juste/ [2] Proche aidance Québec, "Respect for Women, It Manifests!", from: https://procheaidance.quebec/journee-droits-femmes/ [3] Conseil du statut de la femme, "Profile of Female Caregivers in Quebec: Gender-Based Analysis", March 2018.
[4] Conseil du statut de la femme, "Profile of Female Caregivers in Quebec: Gender-Based Analysis", March 2018.
[5] Proche aidance Québec, "Respect for Women, It Manifests!", from: https://procheaidance.quebec/journee-droits-femmes/
[6] Conseil du statut de la femme, ibid.