personal support workers – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

While most older individuals will continue to “age in place” in their own homes and in relatively good health, about eight per cent, or roughly 528,000 will require long-term care. (Unsplash)

November 5, 2025

Why Canada must transform its long‑term care system

Denise Suzanne Cloutier, University of Victoria

The long-term care system is under pressure — both from an aging population and from a workforce in crisis. More humane, sustainable models of care are critical.

Immigrant women working in the care sector do the essential work many Canadians rely on, but low wages mean many need to work past retirement age. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

February 21, 2023

Working more and making less: Canada needs to protect immigrant women care workers as they age

Naomi Lightman, Toronto Metropolitan University and Hamid Akbary, University of Calgary

Immigrant care workers are having to work into retirement age to make ends meet. The Canadian government must do more to support them.

For workers in long-term care homes, distress due to difficult working conditions is often dismissed as a part of the job description. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

December 19, 2022

5 steps for tackling Canada’s long‑term care crisis: It starts with valuing the well‑being of workers

Sophy Chan-Nguyen, Queen's University, Ontario and Colleen Grady, Queen's University, Ontario

The long-term care sector is currently being held together by a very vulnerable workforce, and is at risk of failing without immediate solutions.

Building safer workplaces requires leaders who understand how years of resource constraints, unhealthy work environments, abuse from patients and a pandemic have contributed to overwhelming burnout and job dissatisfaction among workers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

September 27, 2022

How health‑care leaders can foster psychologically safer workplaces

Angela Coderre-Ball, Queen's University, Ontario; Colleen Grady, Queen's University, Ontario, and Denis Chênevert, HEC Montréal

The future of our health system depends on recruiting and retaining passionate and highly skilled health-care workers. It’s essential to build work environments where they feel supported and safe.

Personal support workers are in high demand - as this sign from Markham, ON indicates. They are an integral part of the healthcare system, but are racialized and underpaid. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

September 2, 2020

Personal support workers are the backbone of health care but the bottom of the power structure

Bharati Sethi, Western University

Personal support workers are crucial but under-appreciated in the health-care system. They are often subjected to racism, and they struggle to make ends meet while caring for our most vulnerable.

A resident walks down a hallway at a seniors’ residence in Montréal on Jan. 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

June 7, 2020

After COVID‑19’s tragic toll, Canada must improve quality of life in long‑term care homes

Robert James, McMaster University and Joel Lexchin, University of Toronto

A research project may offer insight into how factors like laundry, food and art may be good places to start in addressing problems in long-term care homes.

Residents and staff wave to family and friends who came out to show support of those in the McKenzie Towne Long Term Care centre in Calgary, Alta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

May 25, 2020

Inquiry into coronavirus nursing home deaths needs to include discussion of workers and race

Tania Das Gupta, York University, Canada

Nursing homes and long term care in Canada are predominantly staffed by immigrant women, migrants and refugees — mostly women of colour.

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