Caregiver Crisis Coming

Have you had to provide care for someone in your family or for a friend? 

Right now, more than eight million Canadians are doing just that—either for a few hours each week or giving their whole life.

The situation could reach a ‘crunch’ point within the next six years as many of the country’s first baby boomers start turning 80, says Stouffville resident Dr. Salvatore Amenta. He has been advocating for some time that the federal government put a plan in place to better support these unpaid caregivers.

In the lead-up to the upcoming election, he is asking you to ask the candidates how they will support this vital cause.

What does caregiving look like?

Over a dozen relatives scheduled to come in at various times of the day to take care of a grandmother who has dementia. Grown children cleaning grandmother’s house every Friday night. Organizing home help for your dad when you can’t be there and seeing him refuse that help. Driving to appointments, driving downtown terror-stricken when they don’t pick up the phone and sitting for four hours straight listening to stories from his younger years. A brother looking after his disabled sibling. A 100- year-old man looking after his younger incapacitated wife. And so much more….

For some time, Sal Amenta has urged federal officials to make the issue of caregiver support a priority. He started a petition on change.org which has garnered over 32,500 signatures. You can still add your signature before the petition closes on Oct. 22.

Go to change.org/search and type in Sal Amenta. You will reach SOS: Lifeline for Caregivers.

Mr. Amenta will send the completed petition to ministers of the next government and advocate anew.

Free to explore
Stouffville Studio Tour

By Hannelore Volpe

Two new artists have joined this year’s Whitchurch-Stouffville Studio Tour taking place Oct. 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Drive through the fall countryside or walk around town to visit the free tour of the studios or homes of 25 artists and artisans working in painting, pottery, weaving, sculpture, jewellery and more.

Susan Whitebread’s ‘outside the box’ creations and Kirsty Naray’s organic, colourful creations in glass and fibre are sure to intrigue visitors.

Ms. Whitebread became even more interested in using reclaimed and found objects when she was teaching art to her elementary school students. She used small cardboard boxes to create 3- dimensional figures.

“I take figures like Marc Chagall’s fiddler and release him from his 2-D existence,” she said. “He is now 3-D and outside the box!”

Ms. Naray’s bright artworks and jewellery take you back to nature with a touch of whimsy. She creates intricately decorated perfume bottles, necklaces and more. She started as a glass bead maker in 1993 and now also works in fibre.

At each location, you can enter a draw for a chance to win an original art piece. Each studio holds its draw on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, log on to WSStudioTour.com or call 905-640-2279. The tour is on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.