Caregivers’ workplace mentally unhealthy

Caregivers’ workplace mentally unhealthy

By Melchizedek Maquiso

This weekend, while I was indulging myself in the usual late night TV shows, I came across an advertisement for a support organization dealing with mental health here in Canada. Right then and there I knew this ad has a tremendous significance in my job as a caregiver. I jotted down the organization’s web address and did some reading & “googling” on the topic the following day.

So I went to the website of the Canadian Mental Health Association and found out that the following week is Mental Health Week (May 5-11). Ahead of this significant event was a study commissioned by Desjardins Financial Security (DFS) which mainly focuses on unhealthy workplaces taking an enormous toll in Canada.

The figures shown are quite disturbing. Among those that are quite alarming are:

• Desjardins Financial Security’s survey reveals that 89% of Canadians find that their working environment is increasingly stressful.*

• A study published in the journal Chronic Diseases in Canada estimated that theCanadian economy loses $30 billion each year in direct and indirect costs related to mental health issues.*

• According to the World Health Organization, depression will be the second leading cause of disability by 2020, behind only cardiovascular disease.

*Data obtained from the May 1Press release of the Canadian Mental Health Association (www.cmha.ca)
Reading CMHA’s May 1 press release where the above data was taken, it clearly shows that the persons surveyed are the usual people who leave home for work. I doubt if there was any Live-In Caregiver who participated in this survey.

I can’t think of any legitimate job in a First World Country such as Canada that is so vulnerable to mental health problems than that of a live-in caregiver. Being in this profession myself, I’m aware of my vulnerability to this problem as well.

Abuse by employers has been the main concern of all Live-In Caregivers and regardless of type, this takes a toll not just on the physical but on the caregiver’s mental health as well. What makes matters worse is the caregiver is basically bound to her employer until the end of her contract. This gives the employer a “justified excuse” to torment his employee knowing that the caregiver has virtually no way out. Though the caregiver is always free to complain with the Ministry of Labor in his/her respective province, the inconvenience it takes to file a complaint and look for new employers is surely much more painstaking. Therefore it would be much easier for the caregiver to take the brunt of this abuse and look forward to the completion of 2 years to apply for permanent residency as the best way out. The usual cliché would be: “*Hayaan mo na lang, titiisin ko na lang*”.

When I attended a pre-departure seminar for Live-In caregivers as required by the Canadian Embassy in Manila, we have been encouraged to settle our differences directly with our employer FIRST should a misunderstanding arises. This encouragement is easier said than done.

The absence of abuse does not denote a guaranteed physical and mental well-being for an individual under the Live-in caregiver Program (LCP) though. The LCP basically is more appealing to foreigners than to Canadians. Besides, this program by the Government of Canada would not exist if local workers are available and willing to live and work at the same home. Given this reality, foreign workers who are the majority “takers” of this job are away from their families and support groups may be virtually non-existent especially in areas outside major cities. In the GTA alone, the Live-in caregiver associations recognized by Citizenship & Immigration Canada are all based in Toronto. Yes, they can be reached by telephone if you need counseling but the social activities that they offer which can act as a diversion from problems besetting caregivers in their workplaces are far from reach. Activities such as sports, & get-together events are held in the heart of the city. Caregivers, who are legally allowed to earn the minimum wage *DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY* at all to go downtown each week. I myself, save as much money as I can to ensure my survival here when unexpected rainy days arrive. It should be realized as well that suburbs of Toronto are undergoing unprecedented growth and more families are coming there and so do caregivers. Unfortunately, support groups for caregivers can’t keep up with the pace of the growth of the suburbs as well.

I have to admit that I fall under this situation. I try as much as possible to do various individual activities to compensate for loneliness. I’ve lived in this lifeless suburb for close to a year and I’ve already accepted such fate. I draw inspiration from this saying: “*Wala kang ibang aasahan kundi sarili mo lang”*. Nevertheless, having a confidante wouldn’t hurt either.

I can’t think of other BIGGER challenges confronting the Live-in caregiver aside from these three – *1) abuse, 2) an apparently no-way out contract and 3) a support/social group that seems so far away* (with emphasis on caregivers working & living in the suburbs).

With these said, it is apparent that without abrupt solutions, such “challenges” contribute to the deterioration of a caregiver’s well-being. Preferring to succumb to abuse results in anxiety, A no-way out contract results in desperation, An absent support group results in loneliness. Put them in a pile results in a compromised mental well-being.

Granting the Canadian government takes into account the Desjardins report and finds ways to act on this pressing problem of “Mentally Unhealthy Workplaces” that is costing the Canadian economy billions of dollars annually, then it should also take into consideration the “Live-in caregiver’s inseparable workplace” as equally unhealthy as well.