"I had never really considered the role I might have with my aging parents. I became a caregiver without knowing what that really involved."
Caregiving refers to the experience of supporting someone in our circle—family or not—who is living with a physical or mental impairment. According to Québec statistics, nearly one in four people is a caregiver. Caregiving is therefore a common experience, one that most of us will likely face at some point. If this experience is so common, does it necessarily have to come into our lives as a surprise?
In 2022, our team published an opinion letter in Le Devoir inviting individuals to prepare for caregiving before being confronted with it. For nearly two years, an advisory committee composed of caregivers, citizens interested in the reflection, members of regional and provincial caregiving organizations, and researchers met to identify the themes for the questions as well as the format of the reflection tool. This is how the Reflex-Aidance project came to life.
Made up of 12 questions designed to guide an early reflection on caregiving, the tool first invites individuals to think about the kind of help they would like to receive from those around them in the event of an impairment (the perspective of the person being cared for). The reflection then continues by exploring one’s abilities and limits when it comes to supporting another person living with an impairment (the caregiver’s perspective).
Acting as a caregiver can be rewarding, but it can also come with challenges. Asking yourself questions about your abilities and limits allows you to reflect on this role before being faced with it. We also encourage you to discuss it openly with the people around you.
The table below presents examples of reflection questions taken from the Reflex-Aidance tool.
Reflection based on… | Examples of Reflection Questions |
The Perspective of the Person Receiving Care | In what situations of impairment would you want support from the people around you? Who are the people you would want to receive help from if you needed it? |
The Perspective of the Person Providing Care | What types of help would you feel comfortable offering someone? What are your limits when it comes to the help you would be willing to offer someone close to you? |
The Reflex-Aidance tool also provides information and resources on caregiving, allowing individuals to continue their reflection. An interactive version is available on the website of the Québec Observatory on Caregiving. For any questions or to learn more, please feel free to contact the author.
Emilie Allard, RN, PhD
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal
In addition to being a nurse and professor, Emilie Allard is a researcher at the Savoirs partagés Research Centre of the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal and at the Québec Palliative and End-of-Life Care Research Network (RQSPAL). Her work focuses on improving access to palliative care and end-of-life care.