Unsung Heroes

As world populations age, there are numerous challenges around how to take care of older adults who need help. Most often, they surround healthcare systems.However, one aspect of aging populations may not get the same amount of attention: caregiving.More and more of us unwittingly become caregivers for a loved one, most often an aging parent.In December, The Art 2 Aging featured an interview with Debbie Howard, a former caregiver who is working hard to create support in her community in Texas for other caregivers.All too often, caregivers don’t have community resources that they can access to lessen their burden.If you are a caregiver, then you know what we’re talking about.In the Canadian province of Ontario, there is an organization whose mission is to support caregivers. It’s called the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO).OCO recently completed a year end review for 2025 that paints a disturbing picture of caregiving in the province; the strain that caregiving produces is showing up dramatically in the numbers.This week, A2A speaks with Amy Coupal, the CEO of Ontario Caregiver Organization.And if you’re a caregiver looking after an older person, perhaps a parent, then you need to hear this. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theart2aging.substack.com/subscribe