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What Are the Benefits of Respite? We all know the benefits of exercise and a good diet. They make us healthier, stronger, and better focused. Yet, many of us don’t value taking time away from our regular routines, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for someone unwell. Time away, while knowing that your loved one is in good hands and being properly cared for, is important for your own health and peace of mind, much like exercise and a good diet. Using respite services can support and strengthen your ability to be a caregiver and has many benefits for both the caregiver and the recipient of care alike. Benefits of Respite for the Caregiver:  1) Renewal and Happiness Respite breaks allow caregivers to take that breather, rest, relax, and then return to their roles far more effectively. Find an hour per week to do something you personally enjoy and brings you a different kind of happiness. As a caregiver, you must remember that you have the right to enjoy life. You have no reason to feel guilty. 2) Engagement As the North American population ages, social isolation is becoming a bigger problem for caregivers. It’s important to take time to engage with your friends and family by going out for lunch or doing whatever allows you to interact with people without fulfilling a caregiving duty. 3) Relaxation Taking a walk, strolling leisurely through a park, visiting a museum, or doing whatever brings joy can calm you, decrease your heart rate, and improve your mood. You seldom get such opportunities when you are a caregiver, yet they contribute immensely to your overall health and well-being! 4) Energy To be effective in your busy life, you must take time to re-energize. Despite your best intentions, you can’t run on empty! Simply getting some time to take a nap or to have a good night's sleep can provide you with the energy you need to continue being a caregiver. 5) Space and Perspective Getting away from your caregiving situation for even just a few hours can help you get the space you need to see more clearly and keep things in proper perspective. You might even think of better ways of doing things and other resources you can tap into. Benefits to the Recipient of Care: 6) Socialization Respite can provide your loved one with the opportunity to interact with others having similar experiences or just interact with someone different. 7) Participation in Activities Respite care services often organize recreational and life skills activities. Some centers also organize cognitive games to help improve or stabilize the cognitive skills of older adults. 8) Reduction of Stress Levels The recipient of care may become concerned about the stress they are causing you, which in turn causes them to be stressed. When they see that they can help you feel more relaxed, it can positively affect them and reduce their anxiety and guilt. Moreover, research shows clear and proven benefits to respite. One study demonstrated that caregivers who used adult day care services for their relatives with dementia had significantly lower levels of caregiver stress, anger, and depression. Another study also found that respite/day care interventions effectively reduced caregiver depression and increased well-being. A recent study has also identified that approximately 60% of the family caregivers surveyed reported “fair or poor” health, compared with only 33% of non-caregivers. Caregiving is rewarding, but it can also easily become overwhelming. Taking care of yourself makes you a better caregiver in the long run.

Each year, filing tax returns (both federal and provincial) raises many questions for older adults living with physical or mental disabilities and for their loved ones. As a senior or a caregiver, you may be eligible for many credits and benefits. Here are some of the most relevant credits, deductions, or benefits. Federal 1. Medical expenses You can claim the medical expense tax credit for eligible expenses that you or your spouse paid. With a prescription, these costs can be: walking aids, hearing aids, compression stockings, fees paid to a healthcare professional to complete Form T2201 (Certificate for the Disability Tax Credit), disposable diapers, dentures and implants, amounts paid to modify the home of a person who has a severe and prolonged motor impairment (modifications that allow them to access their home, to move around more easily, or to carry out their activities more easily; devices or equipment designed to help a person to get in and out of a bath/shower, or to sit on and stand up from the toilet). Attendant care fees, prescriptions or prescription drugs, premiums paid to a private health insurance plan, dental care, vehicle transformation, vaccines, and glasses are also a few of the eligible expenses. Find an exhaustive list of eligible expenses on the CRA website. 2. Disability tax credit (DTC) If you have a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental function, you may be eligible for the DTC. A disability is severe when its effects are important enough that a person's ability to perform daily activities is significantly limited. Remember that if you are claiming a deduction or credit for the first time for people with disabilities, you must produce a certificate from a doctor or health care professional (Certificate for the Disability Tax Credit – Form T2201). 3. Home accessibility tax credit This non-refundable credit can be claimed for expenses incurred to carry out renovations or modifications to make a home more accessible to a person aged 65 and over or to a person with a disability. The maximum eligible expense amount and corresponding credit rate are updated periodically by the CRA — verify current figures at canada.ca before filing. This credit can be claimed by the person or their spouse, or by a family member who has asked (or may request) the caregiver amount or the amount for dependents 18 years of age or older who have a deficiency. Maximum amounts are updated periodically. Always verify current figures with the CRA before filing. Provincial For tax information for seniors in other provinces of Canada, see the links at the end of the article. Provincial – Province of Québec 1. Amount for severe and prolonged impairment You can claim this credit if you or your loved one has a severe and prolonged impairment in mental or physical functions, as certified by a doctor or, depending on the case, by another healthcare professional. Ask your healthcare professional for the Certificate of Impairment. 2. Amount for medical expenses With a few exceptions, you can claim the tax credit for medical expenses for the same eligible expenses that you claimed at the federal level. 3. The refundable tax credit for home-support services for seniors This credit's objective is to help older adults stay in their homes for as long as possible. It reduces the costs of certain home support services – personal assistance services (dressing, hygiene, nurses, meal preparation, remote monitoring, and GPS tracking service, etc.) and maintenance services (housekeeping, exterior maintenance work, etc.). Note that the purchase or rental of monitoring equipment does not qualify for this credit but can be claimed for the refundable tax credit for expenses incurred by a senior to maintain their independence (see below). However, you cannot claim expenses that you claim as medical expenses and vice versa. 4. The refundable tax credit for expenses incurred by a senior to maintain their independence The following expenses are eligible: the purchase, rental, and installation of certain goods such as a remote monitoring or GPS tracking device, certain goods intended to facilitate the use of a toilet seat, a bathtub, or a shower, a device for going up and down the stairs, a warning system for the hearing impaired, a hearing aid, a walker, a rollator, a cane, crutches, a non-motorized wheelchair, and a hospital bed for which the older adult did not receive reimbursement. 5. Tax credit for seniors' activities Seniors who register for physical, artistic, cultural, or recreational activities may be eligible for this credit. 6. The senior assistance tax credit This credit is automatically paid to any very low-income senior over the age of 70 who does not have to pay tax and who files a return. The credit can reach up to $2,000 for a single senior and up to $4,000 for a couple where both spouses are 70 or over. It is reduced based on family income that exceeds an applicable threshold, which is updated annually by Revenu Québec. This credit is automatically calculated and paid to anyone who files a tax return. Credit amounts and income thresholds are updated each year. Always verify current figures with Revenu Québec before filing. 7. Tax credit for expenses incurred by a senior for stays in functional rehabilitation transition units This credit is given to a person over 70 years old who has paid expenses for staying in a transitional rehabilitation unit and where these fees have not been reimbursed or given any other tax credit (maximum of 60 days). Are you caring for an aging loved one or someone with a disability? You too can benefit from tax credits. For caregivers Federal 1. Canadian caregiver credit You can claim this credit if you support your spouse who is physically or mentally disabled, or another person who is dependent on you. A person is considered your dependent if they count on you to regularly and systematically provide them with all or part of the basics of daily life, such as food, shelter, and clothing. You do not have to live with the dependent. Provincial – Province of Quebec 1. Refundable tax credit for caregivers This credit is for a person 1) living with an eligible loved one who is unable to live alone due to a severe and prolonged impairment, 2) accommodating an eligible loved one who is either disabled or elderly aged 70 and over, 3) taking care of their disabled spouse, at least 70 years of age, or 4) offering regular and constant assistance to an eligible loved one with a severe and prolonged impairment (without necessarily living together). Please note, you cannot claim this credit if another person is already claiming it. Credit amounts and income thresholds are updated each year. Always verify current figures with Revenu Québec before filing. 2. Refundable tax credit for a caregiver's pension Apply for this credit if you are a caregiver and you paid for care services and supervision by a person (with a recognized diploma) for a loved one with a disability. Keep in mind This article is intended to be an overview of the tax measures available to older adults and is not exhaustive. Preparing your tax returns (and those of your loved one) can be complex. To benefit from all the credits and deductions to which you are entitled, you can call on tax professionals who can help you. If you have a modest income and a simpler tax situation, volunteers from community organizations are also a resource to help you prepare your tax returns for free. Learn more on the CRA website. Relevant information for Seniors Revenu Québec – Seniors and Taxation Ontario – Seniors and Taxation Alberta – Seniors British Columbia – Seniors Manitoba – Seniors New Brunswick – Seniors Nova Scotia – Seniors Nunavut – Seniors Prince Edward Island – Seniors Saskatchewan – Seniors Newfoundland and Labrador – Seniors Canada – Seniors