Women: First Line of Defence

Women provide the majority of informal care to spouses, parents, in-laws, friends and neighbors, and they play many roles while care giving&emdash;hands-on health provider, care manager, friend, companion, advocate. Most seniors with long-term care needs rely exclusively on family and friends to provide assistance, most often a daughter, granddaughter or sister. Others will supplement family care with assistance from paid providers. More than half of the elderly who have a long-term care need but no family available to care for them are in nursing homes, while less than 10% who have a family caregiver are in institutional settings. Women provide the majority of informal care to spouses, parents, in-laws, friends and neighbors, and they play many roles while care giving&emdash;hands-on health provider, care manager, advocate, companion. Most caregivers cope well, but it can be challenging to care for a loved one at home.