Virtual program connects caregivers to mental health support anywhere in Canada.
In recognition of National Caregivers Day, caregivers for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) across Canada will have access to an expanded national mental health support program through the ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada), made possible with generous funding from the Petro‑Canada CareMakers Foundation.
An ALS diagnosis is life-changing, not only for the person receiving it, but for the spouse, parent, child, sibling, or friend who steps into the role of caregiver. As the disease can progress rapidly and care needs intensify, caregivers often become full‑time coordinators, advocates, and hands‑on providers of complex daily care while confronting grief, fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty about the future.
Through a partnership with AWC Grief Support, the expanded program will provide caregivers across Canada with access to provincially licensed therapists for up to four virtual therapy sessions. Offered as part of ALS Canada’s National Mental Health Program, the therapy services build on national caregiver supports, including virtual support groups, webinars, and fact sheets. The program is designed to help caregivers manage stress, anxiety, anticipatory grief, burnout, and the isolation that can accompany caring for someone living with a progressive and terminal disease like ALS.
“Caregivers for people living with ALS carry an extraordinary emotional and physical load,” said Kim Barry, Vice‑President, Community Services, ALS Canada. “They are adapting in real time to constant change while witnessing a loved one lose function and independence. That emotional impact can be overwhelming. Access to timely mental health support can make a critical difference in helping caregivers sustain themselves through the progression of the disease and what comes next.”
Today, nearly 4,000 Canadians are living with ALS, a neuromuscular disease that progressively paralyzes people as the brain loses the ability to communicate with the muscles we move at will. As mobility, speech, and breathing are affected, care needs intensify. For many caregivers, this means providing complex daily support while balancing employment, parenting, other family responsibilities, navigating medical appointments, securing equipment, and finding their way through a complex health‑care system, often at the expense of their own mental health.
“Family caregivers are the silent backbone of our communities and we are honoured to support ALS Canada in expanding this vital national mental health program,” said Leila Fenc, Executive Director, Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation. “Through our funding, we’re pleased to help make these enhanced supports accessible to caregivers across Canada, so they can access the professional mental health care they need, wherever they live. Ensuring family caregivers are valued, recognized, and supported is the heart of our mission.”
This national expansion builds on learnings from the ALS Canada Caregivers Support Program, a caregiver mental health pilot launched in Ontario in 2025, generously funded by the Rexall Care Network. Strong community uptake and feedback underscored the need for the program to be available nationally. Delivered virtually, the program ensures caregivers can access support regardless of where they live in Canada.
On National Caregivers Day, ALS Canada recognizes the resilience of caregivers and reminds them that they are not alone. ALS Canada’s Community Leads provide direct support to people living with ALS in Ontario, along with national information and resources, including virtual webinars and support groups, available at als.ca.
For more information about eligibility and how to access the ALS Canada Caregiver Mental Health Support Program, visit als.ca/mentalhealth.