Live-in Caregivers in Rural & Small City Alberta
Denise Spitzer, University of Ottawa
Since its inception in 1992, thousands of women and men have come to Canada under the auspices of the Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP). Designed to meet the demand for in-home child, disabled and elder care, the LCP allows foreign –born live-in caregivers to apply for permanent residency status in Canada following 24 months’ of service working and living with their employers. Most research on live-in caregivers has been conducted in Toronto or Vancouver; however, a recent investigation into the experiences of live-in caregivers in Alberta illuminated some of the challenges faced by workers residing in rural areas and smaller cities in the Province. These included: greater geographical and social isolation; extended working hours; and demands to perform outdoor work prohibited by their contracts. By conducting individual interviews and focus groups in four regions of Alberta, this project will highlight live-in caregivers’ experiences by examining the relationship between living and working conditions and health, health services utilization, and sources of, and satisfaction with, social support. Furthermore, immigrant serving agencies and other non-governmental agencies that may provide formal or informal support to live-in caregivers will be surveyed. Policy influencers and program planners will be invited to participate in a focus group to review findings and formulate recommendations in preparation for a final report. |