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What is caregiving?
Being a caregiver means:
- Helping someone with whom you have an emotional bond…
This could be a friend, a partner or ex-partner, a family member, etc. - Because they have a temporary or permanent disability…
This disability can be physical, psychological, psychosocial, or other (e.g.,loss of autonomy due to aging, reduced mobility from an accident or disability, Alzheimer’s, etc.). - By providing them with support in any form.
This can include grocery shopping, preparing meals, managing bills and finances, providing medical or hygiene care, etc. This support can range from one hour per week to full-time commitment, for a few months or an entire lifetime.
1 in 3 people in Quebec is a caregiver
Caregiving affects almost everyone at some point in life. However, LGBTQ+ caregivers remain largely invisible. They face specific challenges that are often unknown to professionals providing services to them. For example, they frequently care for members of their "chosen family."
Additionally, they often encounter situations where they do not feel comfortable being themselves, which can lead them to hesitate to seek social and healthcare services, as well as caregiver support services.
What is a chosen family?
A chosen family consists of people who are close to an individual but are not part of their biological or legal family, yet play an essential role in their life. LGBTQ+ individuals rely more on their chosen family because they do not always have harmonious relationships with their family of origin.
Caregiving in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities: Overview
To better understand the specific realities of LGBTQ+ caregivers and improve service offerings, Fondation Émergence conducted a literature review on the subject.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke and was made possible with funding from the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services.
Read our literature review: Caregiving in 2SLGBTQ+ Communities: Overview.
Our Training Program
Fondation Émergence offers training programs tailored to all environments frequented by caregivers.
Awareness Materials
To encourage LGBTQ+ caregivers to identify themselves, Fondation Émergence has designed a poster to facilitate recognition and raise public awareness about their realities. Download our poster.
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