The growing number of seniors in Canada and worldwide has highlighted the significant role of people providing unpaid care to their loved ones, who are so-called “family caregivers”. A great number of family caregivers are employees working in the paid labor market, who experience additional difficulties as a result of multiple responsibilities in their daily lives. This group of caregivers has to cope with continuous work-related tensions in addition to their daily caregiving burdens. In multicultural nations such as Canada, a great number of caregiver-employees also belong to the immigrant community. While immigrant caregiver-employees (CEs) are faced with extra challenges compared to other CEs, limited research is available for this underrated and overlooked population. This group of CEs have the challenging task of working from home while providing intensive care for their loved one. Therefore, the home environment is an everyday space highly susceptible because of daily spatial and temporal tensions. The current research aims to explore the experience and tensions of Iranian immigrant caregiver-employees in order to assist them in managing their ever-growing responsibilities in the home environment by providing a set of specific home modification strategies. Initially, CEs major tensions and management strategies are identified by in-depth qualitative interviews. A novel Photovoice methodology is implemented to illustrate these tensions exclusively through self-captured photos. Five major themes are identified for the tensions, which are categorized as: (i) personal, (ii) caregiving, (iii) spatial, (iv) family and social, and (v) temporal tensions. The management strategies utilized by caregivers to cope with these tensions are also organized into five additional themes: (i) spatial, (ii) personal, (iii) social, (iv) monitoring and control, and (v) assistive and supportive strategies. Although, these management strategies are effective in resolving some of the tensions, specific tensions remain unmanaged for immigrant CEs’. Unmanaged tensions are analyzed under the therapeutic landscape framework to improve CEs’ health and well-being. A comprehensive list of architectural home modification strategies is proposed to relieve CEs’ tensions in the home environment. Finally, an ideal home is pictured for Iranian immigrant CEs, considering their most significant spatial, natural, symbolic and social requirements. The outcomes of the current research will assist immigrant CEs in managing their daily tensions while performing their working and caregiving responsibilities. The proposed home modification strategies will minimize CEs’ tensions to a large scale, improve their level of mental and physical health, and increase their quality of life. Furthermore, the current research results in increased safety and independence for the care recipients. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Roughly 35% of employed Canadians are currently informal caregivers — defined as “an individual who provides care and/or support to a family member, friend or neighbour who has a physical or mental disability, is chronically ill or is frail” (Williams, Eby, Crooks, Stajduhar, Giesbrecht, Vuksan, Cohen, Brazil, & Allan, 2011, p. 3). These worker-carers are mostly women and often experience negative impacts on their physical, mental, emotional, social, and economic well-being. The impact on employers is also staggering (Fast, Lero, DeMarco, Ferreira, & Eales, 2014). With the number of seniors requiring such care expected to double by 2031, this is a growing issue for Canadians (Williams, et al, 2011). With the assistance of a Technical Committee of experts, chaired by Dr. Williams from McMaster University, the Canadian Standards Association and McMaster University have developed a Standard for Caregiver Inclusive and Accommodating Workplaces. This has been realized through funding provided by the CIHR/SSHRC Partnership Development Grant addressing Healthy, Productive Workplaces. This research seeks to conduct an Enhanced Public Review of the Caregiver Inclusive and Accommodating Standard through the completion of interviews (n=17) with key stakeholders across Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from May to July 2017. After reading a draft of the Standard, interviewees were asked about: the viability of implementation of the Standard; what they liked about it, and what they would change, as well as; how it met with the mandate of their own organization. Interviewees represented the senior leadership of a wide variety of organizations including: human resources; caregiver support; unions; white-collar industry; healthcare, and; municipal governments. Following transcription and coding of the interviews using thematic analysis, five major themes emerged. First, the Standard is a necessary tool in today’s world. Second, though it is an important tool, it is more likely to be used as an educational tool than to be actually implemented by most organizations. Third, organizations are not likely to implement the Standard for a variety of reasons. For example, small to medium sized organizations do not have the resources or capacity to implement and, given that large organizations already have policies in place, they will view the voluntary Standard as superfluous. Fourth, there is a significant divide in perceptions of sex and gender as relevant to the issue of caregiving and the necessity of supports such as the Standard. Finally, organizations may be motivated to implement the Standard and/or use it as an educational tool in exchange for tax breaks or insurance incentives, awards and recognition, or for grants to assist in developing and implementing policies related to the Standard. We conclude that although there are many barriers to implementation of the Standard, it is a useful and timely tool for organizations to use in order to better support their employees who are engaged in carer roles. Incentivizing implementation may encourage more participation in this program and thus greater support for worker-carers. This is especially important as more than half of carers are women, and women in caregiving roles are more likely to spend much more of their time in that role, meaning that this will keep more women engaged in the labour force, prevent burnout, and support better health outcomes (Sinha, 2012). / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / People who are caring for an elderly or sick relative or friend (worker-carers) make up a significant portion of the Canadian workforce. The Canadian Standards Association has developed a voluntary standard for employers to provide accommodations that make working more accessible to employees who are balancing their job with their caring responsibilities. This research assesses the necessity of this Standard and the likelihood that it will be implemented by employer across the country.