And just like that, we’re already heading into my favourite season! Don’t get me wrong, I love a sunny day and a clear blue sky, but nothing beats a dimly-lit autumn morning with the bright, orange trees outside.
There’s one thing I’ve always loved about this time of year, and that’s the return to school. For some reason, the back-to-school routine brings me security and comfort. I’m aware, however, that this isn’t the case for everyone. As children, teenagers and even adults head back to their desks, I’d like to use this time to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by young caregivers.
Who is a young caregiver?
A young caregiver is someone under 25 who helps take care of a loved one with a long-term illness or disability, a mental health or substance use issue, or problems related to aging or money. Perhaps you have been a young caregiver yourself, or you know someone who is. As more data comes to light, we now know that there are three young caregivers in every classroom. For them, heading back to school also means that they’ll be juggling their caregiving responsibilities along with their education.
Fortunately, more and more resources are available for young caregivers. If you are a concerned relative, a teacher or a curious citizen, I strongly invite you to peruse the brand-new Kare Magazine published by Ami-Québec. It contains a wealth of information and resources relevant to all those involved in supporting young “carers” as they also refer to them. What’s more, we’re happy to report that we’re working with Ami-Québec to develop a reference page of local resources.
Fall also means the return of more community activities
Another reason to enjoy fall is the return of regular community activities. As you will see in our latest e-newsletter and on our website and Facebook page, both our Well 50+ and Caregivers’ Circle programs have a full schedule to offer. To learn more and for a fun community outing, I officially invite you to the annual Fall Fest on Saturday, September 21st at Quebec High School. It would be great to meet you in person so that we can chat about our upcoming events and you can share with me any suggestions you might have for future activities.
As always, keep in mind that I am here to help you navigate the health system and support you or your friends and loved ones in finding the right resources.
I can’t wait to see you this fall,
Anaïs
