Caregivers exist in all areas of our communities, whether it’s a family member providing physical support to their loved one or a friend providing emotional support to their neighbour. Caregiving has recently taken center stage with government decision makers considering policies like the National Caregiving Strategy, compensation for caregivers, and implications for the caregiving community with the introduction of the Safe Long-Term Care Act.
Joined by Amy Coupal, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO), we delve into the complex landscape of caregiving in Ontario, focusing on the experiences of caregivers and the recent policy developments shifting the landscape for this underrepresented group.
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Amy Coupal is the CEO of the Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO), a charitable organization that exists to support Ontario’s 4 million caregivers who provide physical and/or emotional support to family members, partners, friends and neighbours. A visionary leader with over 20 year’s experience in the not-for-profit sector, Amy is passionate about mobilizing change through knowledge exchange and building collaborative initiatives that positively impact the lives of individuals and communities.
The impact of this work is demonstrated through the breadth of direct to caregiver programs and services available through OCO, as well as the early successes of embedding caregiving in the culture of health care and the amplification of the voices of caregivers to influence decision making at a system level.
Amy has a Master of Education from the University of Calgary and is an Adler-trained coach. Her insights have been shared through speaking and media engagements, both internationally and here in Canada.
Amy has a deep understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with caregiving. As a caregiver for most of her life, Amy helped to support her brother who had Cerebral Palsy. She was also a caregiver to her mother throughout her cancer journey and now supports her father through older adulthood.