Family or Informal Caregivers

Family or Informal Caregivers are family members, loved ones, friends or neighbours who provide support or care for a dying family member, loved one, or friend.

The CHPCA's A Model to Guide Hospice Palliative Care: Based on National Principles and Norms of Practice (2002) defines "Informal Caregivers" as caregivers who are "not members of an organization. They have no formal training, and are not accountable to standards of conduct or practice. They may be family members or friends."

Caregiving can be difficult. The following resources may help:

• Living Lessons® Campaign and Resources
• A Caregiver's Guide: A Handbook about End-of-Life Care (Download the electronic version here.)
• Directory of Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Programs and Services
• The Role of Informal Caregivers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Canada: A Discussion of the Legal, Ethical and Moral Challenges (VOICE in Health Policy Demonstration Project)
• "Ask a Professional" with the Canadian Virtual Hospice

Watch Palliative Care in a Long-Term Care Setting