Who is Looking After Mom and Dad in Atlantic Canada?

Long-term care (LTC) is an increasingly crucial part of Canada's healthcare system, particularly in Atlantic Canada, which has some of the highest current proportions and future projections of adults over the age of 65 nationwide. Most of the direct care within LTC homes is provided by care aides, yet little is known about this critical workforce. In this study, we explore cross-sectional data from 1,338 care aides from the four Atlantic provinces, which were collected through the Atlantic Research Collaboration on Long-term Care (ARC LTC). Overall, we find that these workers are primarily middle-aged women with almost a decade of experience in the sector. While care aides in the region appear to like their work, their commitment is undermined by significant personal and professional strain, with over half at high risk of burnout, nearly a third reporting below-average mental health scores, and one-in-three considering quitting their job.