CTV News – He thought work was behind him. At 88, he has a job again to support his wife’s care 

By 5:30 a.m. every morning, 88-year-old Walter Burch is already awake inside his Newmarket, Ont. apartment, quietly preparing for another day of caregiving. 

Before daylight seeps in, Burch is organizing medications, anticipating the arrival of a personal support worker (PSW) and helping his wife navigate a series of health complications that have dramatically altered both of their lives. 

Now Burch balances caregiving with a return to the workforce – something he never imagined doing at 88-years-old. 

Burch’s experience reflects a growing reality for many caregivers across Canada who try to stay afloat financially while supporting, in some cases, aging parents, spouses, children or relatives with disabilities. 

A national report released this month from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence found that 59 per cent of caregivers are employed while also providing an average of 5.1 hours of unpaid care every day.