Caregivers Using ERs for Support

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Caregiving is love in action. It is also work, often relentless, unpaid, and happening behind closed doors while the rest of life keeps spinning. Right now in Ontario, the strain is showing up in one of the worst places possible: the emergency department.

In the latest Spotlight Report from the Ontario Caregiver Organization, 68% of caregivers say they have reached their breaking point. That is not “a little tired.” That is the kind of exhaustion where you cannot think straight, your body feels wired and heavy at the same time, and you are making decisions in survival mode. (see below for a list of provincial and national caregiver organizations)

One of the most alarming findings is this: nearly one in five caregivers reported taking the person they support to the emergency department simply to get a break. Not because of a medical emergency, but because the caregiver had run out of safe options. If you have never been there, it can be hard to grasp. But the caregiver stories are heartbreakingly clear. One described finally closing their eyes, then hearing the door, their mother had wandered outside and they “just couldn’t” manage it anymore.

This is also a systems issue, not just a personal one. The Ontario Hospital Association highlighted estimates that almost 1.9 million ED visits in a year were driven by caregivers seeking respite, at an average cost of $323 per visit, that is about $643 million. Even if you quibble with methodology, the direction of the signal is undeniable: when caregivers burn out, the whole system pays, including patients who truly need emergency care.

So what actually helps?

A big part of the answer is treating caregivers as essential care partners, not “visitors” and not afterthoughts. The Ontario Caregiver Organization’s Essential Care Partner Support Hub exists to help health care settings build caregiver-inclusive practices, with free tools, templates, and 1:1 guidance. Why does this matter? Because evidence summaries and reviews consistently show that involving family caregivers improves safety, communication, and transitions, and patient and family-centred transition interventions can reduce readmissions and even reduce ED visits after discharge.

And if you are a caregiver reading this, here are a few practical “right now” moves I want you to have in your pocket:

1. Name the risk early. If you are thinking, “I can’t keep doing this,” treat that as a safety flag, not a personal failure.
2. Ask for a “caregiver plan,” not just a patient plan. At appointments or during discharge, ask who to call when things wobble, what respite exists and what the back-up option is before crisis hits.
3. Connect to real support, not more paperwork. The Ontario Caregiver Organization can connect caregivers to coaching, peer support and a 24/7 helpline that helps navigate community resources.
4. Build a tiny relief system. Even two people who can each cover one hour per week can be the difference between coping and collapse.

Aging at home is a beautiful goal, but it only works when the caregiver is supported, too. If Ontario is serious about keeping people safe at home and out of hospital, we have to stop treating caregiver burnout like a private problem. It is a public one, and it is solvable when we plan for caregivers as part of the team.

Provincial Caregiver Organizations

• British Columbia: Family Caregivers of British Columbia (FCBC), a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for family caregivers through support, information, and education.
• Alberta: Caregivers Alberta, which focuses on the wellbeing of caregivers as individuals rather than just teaching caregiving skills.
• Quebec: L’Appui pour les proches aidants, a major organization focusing on supporting those who care for older adults. Another key organization is Regroupement des aidants naturels du Québec (RANQ).
• New Brunswick: Caregivers New Brunswick (established in 2025).
• Nova Scotia: Caregivers Nova Scotia, providing free programs, services, information, and advocacy. 

National and Specialized Organizations

• Canadian Centre of Caregiving Excellence (CCCE): Established by the Azrieli Foundation in 2022 to support caregivers through research and advocacy.
• Young Caregivers Association: The first organization in Canada dedicated to supporting young caregivers (under 18) and their families.
• Carers Canada: A national organization that works to recognize and include caregivers in social policy.
• Huddol: An online community and support network for Canadian caregivers.
• Canadian Virtual Hospice: Provides specialized, free, and confidential support, along with a large repository of information on palliative and end-of-life care for caregivers.
• Alzheimer Society of Canada: Offers specific support groups and resources for dementia caregivers nationwide. 

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