Myth: Caregiving is a negative experience.

Fact: Caregiving can be a highly rewarding way to make a positive difference in someone else’s life.

 

Myth: Family caregivers understand the impact of filling this role.

Fact: One study showed that caregivers tend to greatly underestimate the effect on their finances (the majority end up contributing financially to the care of a family member), their savings (most also have to dip into savings at some point), and their career (nearly half had lost a job, changed shifts, or missed out on career opportunities due to their caregiving responsibilities).

 

Myth: Adult children rarely provide care for aging parents anymore.

Fact: An estimated four to five million Canadians and 66 million Americans are serving as unpaid family caregivers.

 

Myth: People with elderly parents usually have a caregiving plan in place.

Fact: Most adult children do not address this issue until the need arises, for example when a parent becomes ill, or can no longer live independently.