Bhavini Patel

Bhavini Patel is a dedicated caregiver and advocate based in the Greater Toronto Area. Her caregiving journey began shortly after her father was diagnosed with dementia. Bhavini gradually assumed increasing responsibility for her father’s care over more than six years, all while supporting her aging mother with her own care needs. 

In 2020, as her father’s condition progressed and her caregiving responsibilities grew, Bhavini decided to leave her career as a director of operations in the hospitality industry to provide full-time care. This marked a profound shift in both her professional and personal identity. It also marked a major economic and professional turning point, one that would shape her financial security, career trajectory and sense of self. 

Throughout her caregiving journey, Bhavini remained closely involved in both her parents’ daily lives, living nearby and dedicating the equivalent of full-time hours each week to caregiving responsibilities. Her role extended far beyond emotional support; she became the primary decision-maker and coordinator, managing financial matters, providing medical advocacy and coordinating interactions with an interprofessional healthcare team, as well as personal support workers. 

While she received support from her family through a shared roster system, formal supports, like publicly funded home care services, were often limited in scope and flexibility, leaving Bhavini to fill critical gaps. 

Bhavini’s father passed away at home in 2022. More recently, she has taken on a similar caregiving role for her uncle, who is receiving ongoing treatment for cardiovascular disease. This continuation of care reflects a pattern familiar to many caregivers: even after one intensive caregiving chapter ends, another often begins, with little time to recover and few supports in place. 

“I never defined myself as a caregiver because I was just a daughter, niece, or granddaughter taking care of family members when they needed help. But everything changed when I realized that what I was facing was much bigger—there’s the administrative and financial running of a house; there are medication and lifestyle adjustments; and you’re forward-thinking about what will happen with this unknown journey ahead of you.”

The impact of caregiving on Bhavini’s life has been significant, and continues today. She still faces financial strain from lost income and reliance on personal savings, along with challenges re-entering the workforce after an extended absence. The demands of caregiving also limited her ability to maintain social connections and personal time. Notably, her burnout stemmed less from emotional strain and more from the relentless logistical and administrative burden of navigating fragmented systems and coordinating care. 

Despite these challenges, Bhavini has developed a strong sense of purpose and has become actively involved in caregiver advocacy through organizations such as the Alzheimer Society Peel, Institute for Better Health, the Ontario Caregiver Organization, and the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. 

In many ways, the six-year gap in employment while being a full-time caregiver has re-written her resume in ways she never expected. She is now seeking opportunities to combine her professional background with her lived experience, aiming to improve systems and supports for other caregivers facing similar challenges. Bhavini feels that getting employers to lead with compassion and flexibility, especially when it comes to caregivers, would be a major shift in the right direction. 

“Supporting employees through the realities of caregiving is key to retaining high-performing talent who will go above and beyond when they feel understood. Caregivers build valuable, transferable skills, and with an aging population and increasing pressure on the healthcare system, we need workplaces, HR teams, and insurers to work together to keep people—especially women—in the workforce. Supporting caregivers isn’t optional; it’s something that will impact all of us.”