We all want to live a long, healthy life. With the help of modern medicine and good nutrition, those aged 80-plus form the fastest growing segment of our population, and our senior population will double by 2030. But when health fails, seniors turn to family members to support them in their homes as long as possible.

These family members are the caregivers, and they are Bermuda’s silent, living heroes who quietly and courageously care for family members and friends who are in need. Caregivers are pivotal in keeping seniors at home as long as possible. Without them, our health care system would collapse. Yet, unlike professional, paid care-providers, they have absolutely no rights under the law.

In the UK, caregivers are referred to as carers, and “The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004” was passed to ensure that (1) the carer is capable of providing the necessary care, and (2) to ensure that the rights of the carer to a quality of life are protected. This means British carers have the right to leisure, work, and training opportunities during and after the caregiving episode. In Bermuda, caregivers do not.

However, in order to make a case for the human rights of the caregiver, I must first draw a clear distinction between care-providing and care-giving. In fact, I’m on a mission to make sure that caregiving is clearly defined for this very reason.

First of all, care-providers are those persons who are paid for their services, either individually or through a business. They are protected under the Employment Act (2000) that provides for their conditions of employment, statutory benefits, legislated time off, and termination of employment.

Care-providers are also volunteers who are organised by some other entity, such as a charity, to provide a service.

Child-care providers and elder-care providers have the luxury of being able to change jobs, change duties, have days off, go on vacation, go home at the end of the day, or simply quit when the responsibilities become too much to handle, or their interests change.

Caregivers, on the other hand, are not paid. They provide unpaid, informal care, usually to a family member, parent, spouse/partner, or friend. A caregiver does not volunteer for the job.

Caregiving is compelled by a combined sense of love and duty. It can begin slowly over time, or suddenly through illness or a housing crisis (especially in Bermuda). Unlike parenting of a healthy child, there are no clear stages going forward, dependence usually increases, there are little or no social or financial supports in place, and family support can range from excellent to non-existent.

Much like the reading of a will, a caregiving episode will bring out the best and the worst in individuals and families.

Rarely does the caregiver have the luxury of a day or weekend off, never mind the luxury of being able to quit. The majority of caregivers are women because women have traditionally been the kin-keepers — from birth to death. (Research shows that when men are the caregivers they tend to provide financial support and supervise care by others, although there are certainly exceptions.)

Most important, however, do not be fooled by the term ‘informal care.’ In many cases, caregiving is not for the faint of heart. Far from it.

Modern technology has come into our homes, with many caregivers providing at-home medical care that just a few years or even months ago would have been provided only in a hospital setting. Breathing machines, wound care, and all sorts of medical contraptions are just a few examples, not to mention the challenges of incontinence and the stress of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Most caregivers in Bermuda must also work outside the home in order to live in this very expensive place. Without protection under the law, leaving work to care for a family member is a risky decision that can lead to lost income and benefits, especially pension and health insurance, with catastrophic results. Caregiving now compares to motherhood 35 years ago, when getting pregnant meant leaving work without any paid maternity leave, or job security on return. Back then, returning to work after childbirth usually meant a demotion, and the concept of company-run child care and after school care was unimaginable.

We have a lot of work to do in Bermuda as we consider the impact of our ageing population, and the rights of our silent heroes, the caregivers, have to be kept firmly in the spotlight.Marian Sherratt is Executive Director, Bermuda Council on Ageing. She writes on issues concerning ageing each fortnight in The Royal Gazette. Send e-mail responses to ">info@bdaca.org.