We are thrilled to co-host this event with the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, a program of the Azrieli Foundation.
Join us in-person or virtually for a heartfelt day dedicated to honouring all the amazing caregivers who support individuals across ages and stages of life. This full day experience – featuring breakfast, keynote sessions, panel discussions, and networking reception – creates space for meaningful exchange, shared earning, and partnership building.
This year’s symposium is themed Caregiving Across Ages and Stages, and will explore how caregiving evolves across the lifespan and how systems, workplaces, and communities can better respond to caregivers’ changing needs at different life stages.
National Caregiver Day is an opportunity to recognize, celebrate, and elevate the essential role caregivers play across Canada’s health and social care systems. Every day, family members, friends, and care partners provide critical support to individuals living with complex health, social, and functional needs, often balancing caregiving alongside employment, education, and other responsibilities. Their contributions are foundational to enabling people to live with dignity, independence, and quality of life at home and in their communities.
At the same time, caregivers are facing increasing pressure. Rising care complexity, workforce shortages, fragmented systems, and limited access to coordinated supports have intensified the demands placed on caregivers and the systems that support them. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across sectors and lived experience, bringing together caregivers and persons with lived experience, care providers, employers, researchers, and policymakers to strengthen caregiver wellbeing and system sustainability.
2026 Theme:
This year’s symposium will explore how caregiving evolves across the lifespan and how systems, workplaces, and communities can better respond to caregivers’ changing needs at different life stages.
The Symposium has been designed to foster connection across sectors and perspectives, with a focus on shared learning and system-level change.
Dr. Allison Williams,
McMaster University
Amanda Mackenzie,
March of Dimes Canada
Amy Coupal,
Ontario Caregiver Organization
Avi Parmar,
Caregiver
Brad Saunders,
Community Living Toronto
Chrissy Sadowski,
Young Caregivers Association
Claire Webster,
McGill Dementia Education Program
Daniel Scott,
Caregiver
Fiona Deller,
Canadian Home Care Association
James Janeiro,
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence
Jane Rylett,
Canadian Institute for Health Research
Jeff Moat,
Pallium Canada
Jo-Anne Poirier,
VON Canada; Board Chair of CHCA
Katarina Busija,
ParaMed Home Health Care
Lauren Bates,
Ontario Caregiver Coalition
Liv Mendelsohn,
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence
Lara deSousa,
CarePartners
Mark Hazelden,
National Institute on Ageing, TMU
Oliver Fitzpatrick,
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence
Rebekah Gold,
Young Caregivers Council of Canada
Susan Bisaillon,
Safehaven
Talia Bronstein,
National Institute on Ageing
Tyler Downey,
SEIU Healthcare
Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos,
Ontario Tech University
It’s not too late to join this incredible group of sponsors, email fdeller@cdnhomecare.ca for more information.
This post is also available in: French
Established in 1990, the Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) is a national non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing excellence in home and community care.
National Office: 905-567-7373 | General Inquiries: chca@cdnhomecare.ca
2000 Argentia Road, Plaza 3, Suite 302. Mississauga, ON, L5N 1W1
This post is also available in: French
