Supportive Care to Family Caregivers is Not Supportive Enough: Moving Towards an Equitable Approach to Dementia Home Care

Abstract

SUMMARY The current relationship between family caregivers and home care providers needs to be reconceptualized from one that is nonsupportive and potentially exploitive, to one that fosters a collaborative, empowering relationship. I present my argument in three parts. First, I focus on the problem of the current complementary model of care, one in which home care workers supplement and compensate for the care provided by family caregivers. In effect, I outline how this model of dementia home care in Canada perpetuates an inequitable distribution of care between formal and familial caregivers. Here, I underscore the negative consequences of this complementary approach on the caregiver–provider relationship. In the second part, I call for a reappraisal of ‘supportive relationships’ between home support workers and caregivers, identifying underlying values and principles (e.g., quity) that I believe should inform home care practices and policies in the future. Finally, I propose some possible strategies that may ultimately support both family caregivers and providers in promoting optimal dementia home care.