Disruptions in care among disabled people and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Ontario, Canada

Abstract

This article seeks to advance our understanding of the care experiences of people living with the effects of disability, ageing and other social locations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on key informant interviews (n = 8) and results from an anonymous online survey (n = 36), this article provides evidence of how people with disabilities and older adults in Ontario, Canada, experienced disruptions in different types of care in their multiple caring relationships. The results describe why they were not able to access the care that they needed during a period when activities began to resume and how their caring relationships had been disrupted. The impact of disruption on people with disabilities, older adults and others in their care relationships was exacerbated by barriers rooted in ableism, ageism and other forms of exclusion. This study demonstrates the importance of addressing unmet care needs by moving beyond the dichotomy of ‘carer’ and ‘cared for’.