The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence Gives Support to Caregivers

The new national initiative will provide invaluable support to a sector in need

May 5, 2022 – In Canada, approximately one in four people over the age of 15 is a caregiver. They give about 19 hours of care per week to family members or loved ones – and the numbers can be much higher depending on the medical complexities of the individuals receiving care.

 Much of this work is unpaid and unseen. And support for these caregivers is severely lacking.

To address this, the Azrieli Foundation, the largest non-corporate foundation in Canada, has launched the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE). The Centre – the only Canadian initiative to focus on the entire field of caregiving – aims to support caregivers and care providers (i.e., personal and disability support workers), advance the knowledge and capacity of the caregiving field, and advocate for effective social policy.

“Our mission is to connect individuals and communities with the resources they need to flourish,” says Naomi Azrieli, Chair and CEO of the Azrieli Foundation. “This core purpose has guided our efforts to enhance the quality of life of people with developmental disabilities for many years – and has now inspired us to create the CCCE. Our passion for this work is rooted in my family’s personal experiences caring for loved ones with developmental disabilities. We want to build a better system for this essential field – one that meets the immense needs of caregivers and care providers.”

The vision of the CCCE is a Canada leading the way in quality care – a place where caregiving is valued, caregivers are supported, and people accessing care are central to policies and practices. To achieve this, the CCCE will be guided by the voices of caregivers and care providers to ensure its work has meaning to those it supports.

“We want to bring people in the sector together, scale what is working, translate knowledge into practice and fill gaps through innovation,” says Liv Mendelsohn, Executive Director of the CCCE. “We have brought together an advisory council with representation from different sectors and from across the country to help guide our priorities and what we do.”

To deliver its mandate, the CCCE has identified four areas: education and leadership development, advocacy and policy development, support networks and knowledge sharing, and inclusion and underserved communities.

And while officially launching in May, in celebration of National Family Caregiver Month, the CCCE already has several meaningful projects in development, including: the funding of an Indigenous-led caregiving needs assessment with Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society; support for L’Appui pour les proches aidants to develop resources for caregiver organizations in Francophone communities outside of Quebec; and the launch of a National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities Institute.

In addition, the CCCE will be engaging in advocacy efforts, pushing for policy reform for Canadian caregivers. A white paper will be released in the fall.

To learn more about the CCCE and how to get involved, visit canadiancaregiving.org.

About the Azrieli Foundation
With a firm belief that everyone has a contribution to make, the Azrieli Foundation has been opening doors, breaking ground, and nurturing networks for more than 30 years. The Foundation funds institutions and operates programs in Canada and Israel.

Media contact
Olivia Olesinski
Communications Manager
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence
[email protected]
416-579-4701