Caregivers

Whether you are a spouse, partner, parent, child, family member or friend providing care on a regular basis to someone with MS, your role is an important one. The term “caregiver” is very broad and can include any person at any age and often, there is more than one caregiver who provides care.

The bond between a person with a chronic disease such as MS and the person, who provides care, can be very strong and very positive. At the same time, caregiving can also be physically and emotionally demanding and exhausting.

No matter the extent of your caregiving, it is important that you also take care of yourself.

The MS Society recognizes the incredible contribution that caregivers make at a personal level, and we are committed to supporting you.

The MS Society provides a range of resources and support for caregivers.

Learn more: 

Click here to see how our Government Relations team is working to advocate for caregivers.


Caregiver Facts

  • At some point in their lives, nearly half (46%) of Canadians aged 15 and older, or 13 million Canadians, have provided care to a family member or friend with a long-term health condition, disability or aging needs.
  • Caregivers perform a range of tasks in caring for their family member or friend, with providing transportation being the most commonly reported (73%). Other tasks included housework (51%), house maintenance and outdoor work (45%), scheduling and coordinating appointments (31%), managing finances (27%), helping with medical treatments (23%) and providing personal care (22%).
  • Caregivers reported having multiple responsibilities. In 2012, 60% were working at a paid job or business and 28% had children under the age of 18. Despite these competing demands, 73% of employed caregivers were satisfied with their current balance between work and home life, with one in ten saying they were dissatisfied.


(Statistics Canada)