MICA

MENTAL ILLNESS CAREGIVERS ASSOCIATION (MICA)

NO ONE WALKS ALONE, WE WALK WITH YOU

CAREGIVERS PLANNING FOR WHEN THEY ARE GONE - A CAREGIVER FOCUSED APPROACH

Initiating the Discussion ...

Some Facts Regarding Caregiving In Canada

The Mental Illness Caregivers' Association (MICA) believes more needs to be done to ensure people living with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders have access to a safe place to live while allowing them to make choices that meet their needs and personal wishes

What is at risk? - the collapse of supports critical to the mental and physical well-being of those we care for!

OUR ASK - We invite you to engage in a dialogue focused on doing what we can to ensure all caregivers caring for persons living with mental illness and/or substance use disorder have a housing plan

Continuing the Discussion

A Third-party resource with a mandate to support caregivers caring for persons living with mental illness and or substance use disorder planning for - now and when they are gone

A mandate that provides those they care for continuing access to safe and secure housing and on-going personal supports

Shared Access to Resources

Knowledge management

Shared Access to Resources

Crisis management

Partnerships, collaboration and integration

Awareness, understanding and empowerment

Progress Report

Sharing caregiver concerns with elected officials, policy makers, bureaucrats ……

Seeking the support of our community ….

Summary

“Thinking about what will happen when I am gone keeps me up at night!”

“What is at risk if nothing is done?”

Caregivers want ….

The Path Forward

It’s more than planning

“Let’s get the conversation started!”

OUR CONVERSATION - ONE FAMILY'S STORY

MICA: We now invite you to share your story in your own words. Let’s start with you telling us about the person you care for

MICA: What does your caring role mean to you?

MICA: Has it been more than a caring role – what challenges has your family faced along the way?

MICA: What other supports do you provide?

MICA: One last question – what would your plan for when you are gone need to include?

Sharing Your Story

INTRODUCTION

The question of “what will happen to the people we care for when we are gone?” has long been an issue of concern for caregivers of people experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges. Our intent is to use the ‘power of your stories’ to support the urgent need for caregivers caring for persons living with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorder to plan for when they are gone – a need that becomes more pressing as the caregiver community ages.

Your stories will also assist in identifying the gaps for a full range of supports that may or may not be in place when the caregiver is gone including continued access to safe and secure housing, personal and community supports as well as trusted legal, financial and property management supports

We are committed to raising awareness in the months ahead as we share our concerns and your stories with the caregiver community, organizations that support caregivers and persons living with mental illness and/or substance use disorder, the media, the Ministers of Health, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Children, Community and Social Services and others going forward.

We will every effort to protect your privacy and that of the person(s) you care for – need to provide some detail here regarding how we propose to do that – to be discussed at our next opportunity to meet

GETTING STARTED

SHARE YOUR STORY

Please share your story confidentially with us and then click SEND

PLANNING FOR WHEN WE ARE GONE - MY STORY

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SEND US YOUR COMMENTS

Please share your comments/thoughts with us and then click SEND

PLANNING FOR WHEN WE ARE GONE - FEEDBACK

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