{"id":34321,"date":"2026-04-07T09:00:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/?p=34321"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:00:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:00:21","slug":"caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being a caregiver is a commitment that is still not well recognized today. Nevertheless, millions of people in Canada accompany a parent, a partner or a friend each day who is living with illness or reduced autonomy. Behind this vital role, often performed quietly and out of sight, is a demanding reality that calls for time, energy and devotion. To keep supporting a loved one without burning out, however, it is essential not to neglect oneself and to take care of one\u2019s own well-being too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Being a caregiver, yes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0but at what personal cost?<\/h2>\n

Are you among the nearly 8 million Canadians<\/a> who take on the role of caregiver? It\u2019s very possible, since caregiving now touches a broad part of the population. The book La proche aidance au chevet d\u2019un syst\u00e8me malade\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Plaidoyer pour un Qu\u00e9bec qui renoue avec ses solidarit\u00e9s<\/em> even notes that almost one adult caregiver in two is aged 55 and over, while the Government of Canada estimates that one in five young people aged 15 to 30<\/a> also takes on this role for a parent, a grandparent or another loved one. These statistics highlight just how widespread this reality is in our society!<\/p>\n

On the occasion of National Caregivers Day<\/strong>, which is marked each year on the first Tuesday of April, we wish to recognize the remarkable work these individuals carry out and which, unfortunately, often remains undervalued<\/p>\n

Dear caregivers, we are convinced that the value of the time and energy you devote to the person you support goes far beyond what it is humanly possible to measure.<\/p>\n

That being said, this day is also the perfect moment to remind ourselves of the importance of balance. To keep accompanying your loved one with compassion, you must remember to take care of yourself<\/strong>. This is neither a luxury nor self-centeredness, but a fundamental condition for protecting your energy and your physical and mental health.<\/p>\n

Did you realize?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since last January, the Government of Quebec has also implemented the National Home Support Policy (PSAD)<\/a>. This initiative seeks to broaden access to services and to better recognize the essential role played by family caregivers. In concrete terms, those receiving the home autonomy allowance can now be paid for their work, a measure that helps value their contribution and provide greater stability to the families involved.<\/p>\n

This progress reflects a collective will to better support caregivers. Yet beyond policies and programs, your personal balance remains a matter we must all consider. To help you balance your needs with those of your loved one and continue providing support without burning out, we offer five tips that we hope will prove useful.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Establish your priorities<\/h2>\n

You may feel tempted to take everything on yourself, but it\u2019s essential to set your priorities, recognize your limits<\/strong> and align your expectations with your energy. Keep in mind that the goal isn\u2019t perfection, but being there for your loved one.<\/p>\n

Whenever you can, share responsibilities with family members. Local community, public and semi-public organizations can also assist you. If you live in a Le Groupe Maurice residence, many services\u00a0\u2013\u00a0such as minor repairs, cleaning and laundry\u00a0\u2013\u00a0are offered to make your daily life that much easier!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Embrace your emotions<\/h2>\n

Caregiving is a profoundly human experience, yet it can be extremely challenging. Over time, it may bring up a wide range of emotions\u00a0\u2013\u00a0from tenderness and pride to anxiety, frustration, sadness and guilt. These feelings are entirely normal, and it\u2019s important to acknowledge them<\/strong> rather than push them aside. Naming your emotions can often bring relief and clarity.<\/p>\n

To do this, you might keep a personal journal or talk with someone you trust. You can also discuss your situation with a healthcare professional\u00a0\u2013\u00a0such as a doctor, a psychologist or a social worker.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. Engage with yourself<\/h2>\n

When your day revolves around caring for someone else, it\u2019s crucial to carve out moments for yourself<\/strong>, where your needs come first. Life\u2019s little pleasures support your well-being, so make time as often as you can for activities that bring you happiness, whether it\u2019s knitting, woodworking, gardening, reading, painting, colouring, meditation<\/a> or other hobbies you enjoy.<\/p>\n

Staying active can also support your inner equilibrium, since exercise<\/a> naturally relieves stress and clears the mind. Even a short walk outdoors can lift your spirits and add some lightness to an otherwise heavy day. Without a doubt, these moments are meaningful: they strengthen your ability to care for yourself and continue supporting others.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. End the isolation<\/h2>\n

Caregiving can limit opportunities to connect with others, when your day-to-day life is organized around the needs of one person. This gradual stepping back from social life can increase feelings of isolation. Joining activities<\/strong>, clubs or committees can help ease the emotional load, especially if you continue to live in your own home or apartment.<\/p>\n

Naturally, residence living promotes interaction, particularly through common areas. Many Le Groupe Maurice residences also offer support initiatives, gatherings for caregivers, and respite services; speaking with the team on site can open the door to a supportive and accessible network.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Express your needs openly<\/h2>\n

It is often the case that those close to you underestimate the challenges of caregiving. Taking the time to explain what this commitment entails, and to describe your responsibilities along with the emotional weight they carry, can help your family and friends offer the support you need.<\/p>\n

We encourage you to state your needs more openly, since this often helps loved ones become more involved. They might offer their help with shopping, cleaning, care, arranging appointments or finding information. And remember, there\u2019s nothing shameful about asking for help, particularly since trying to manage everything yourself can genuinely lead to burnout.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additional information and resources to help you<\/strong><\/p>\n

Informal and family caregiver | Government of Quebec<\/a><\/p>\n

Quebec Caregivers<\/a><\/p>\n

Caregiver Support<\/a><\/p>\n

Caring for Myself\u2026 While Caring for Others\u00a0\u2013\u00a0A Caregiver\u2019s Guide to Preventing Burnout<\/a><\/p>\n

211 Quebec<\/a> to discover the resources available in your region<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

To conclude\u2026<\/h2>\n

Being a caregiver by nature calls for courage, love and selflessness. Yet, this commitment should never compromise your own health or well-being. Caring for yourself doesn\u2019t diminish your devotion to others; rather, it enables you to continue your support with compassion. Thank you for all that you do, and above all, don\u2019t forget to take care of yourself too!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Being a caregiver is a commitment that is still not well recognized today. Nevertheless, millions of people in Canada accompany…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34319,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualities"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCaregiver: balancing care for others and yourself | Le Groupe Maurice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Le Groupe Maurice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legroupemaurice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-07T13:00:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1-2000x1501.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1501\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Annabel Sanz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Annabel Sanz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/\",\"name\":\"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself | Le Groupe Maurice\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-07T13:00:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca0a9660a44a52c8165b61f1300babd8\"},\"description\":\"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp\",\"width\":2420,\"height\":1816,\"caption\":\"Proche aidant : l\u2019importance de prendre soin de soi - Le Groupe Maurice - R\u00e9sidences pour personnes \u00e2g\u00e9es - Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Le Groupe Maurice\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca0a9660a44a52c8165b61f1300babd8\",\"name\":\"Annabel Sanz\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9db70a58befdee05e44020ef3472f793ff85149953a6b516665ee5186912539?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9db70a58befdee05e44020ef3472f793ff85149953a6b516665ee5186912539?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Annabel Sanz\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/author\/asanz\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself | Le Groupe Maurice","description":"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself","og_description":"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/","og_site_name":"Le Groupe Maurice","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legroupemaurice\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-07T13:00:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1501,"url":"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1-2000x1501.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Annabel Sanz","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Annabel Sanz","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/","url":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/","name":"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself | Le Groupe Maurice","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp","datePublished":"2026-04-07T13:00:21+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca0a9660a44a52c8165b61f1300babd8"},"description":"As a caregiver, it is essential to take care of yourself to preserve your well-being and continue supporting your loved one.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-CA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-CA","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/groupemaurice.tor1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/REC-2026-Journee-Nationale-des-Proches-Aidants-Nouvelle-2420x1816-1.webp","width":2420,"height":1816,"caption":"Proche aidant : l\u2019importance de prendre soin de soi - Le Groupe Maurice - R\u00e9sidences pour personnes \u00e2g\u00e9es - Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/caregiver-balancing-care-for-others-and-yourself\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Caregiver: balancing care for others and yourself"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/","name":"Le Groupe Maurice","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-CA"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ca0a9660a44a52c8165b61f1300babd8","name":"Annabel Sanz","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-CA","@id":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9db70a58befdee05e44020ef3472f793ff85149953a6b516665ee5186912539?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9db70a58befdee05e44020ef3472f793ff85149953a6b516665ee5186912539?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Annabel Sanz"},"url":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/author\/asanz\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34321"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34322,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34321\/revisions\/34322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}