Caregivers - those who care for a family member or friend living with challenges owing to illness, disability or old age - are an essential part of our social and health systems. They provide between 80% and 90% of the care required by persons with long-term conditions, saving our health system billions of dollars each year, yet remain largely unrecognized and unsupported.

The Alberta Caregivers Association (ACGA) has started an ambitious project to develop Canada’s first provincial caregiver strategy to bridge this gap. They need input from family/friend (unpaid) caregivers and relevant professionals/service providers so that their views and ideas can drive this independent landmark initiative. The ACGA is conducting a survey of caregivers (and those who care about them) throughout Alberta to learn about the issues they face in order to better understand the various challenges, barriers, and problems that exist from their points of view.

More information about this initiative and access to the online survey are available at www.AlbertaCaregivers.org/convention2010.html.