Chatelaine – Why Siblings are the Forgotten Caregivers

As more adults with disabilities outlive their parents, their siblings often take on more caregiving—usually without any formal support. While some organizations and advocates push for better supports for disabled adults and for their siblings to be recognized more formally as caregivers, health and social support systems still have a long way to go in reimagining who provides care—and what it looks like to live a good life with a disability.

Siblings’ caregiving duties may also increase when they’re older. While parents have decades of experience navigating complex government support systems, siblings often “have to learn overnight,” says Helen Ries, co-founder of Siblings Canada, an initiative that provides peer support and resources to help sibling caregivers. In many cases, they’re also learning during a crisis, like when their parents are ill or have died.