The burden of musculoskeletal disease has had a significant impact on the lives of Canadians at home and at work, said Alison Dantas, chief executive officer at Canadian Chiropractic Association during Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work event in February. According to the World Health Organization, musculoskeletal conditions are the leading cause of disability around […]
Musculoskeletal issues have a far-reaching impact on the mental, physical and emotional wellness of benefits plan members and their families — however, they also come at a cost to plan sponsors. According to Sun Life Assurance. Co.’s 2020 disability claims, 20 per cent were related to musculoskeletal health conditions and 30 per cent of these affected […]
Kristy Dickinson woke up on a recent Monday unable to move her body. The delay waiting for medication and a heating pad to kick in threw off her morning routine and a flare-up of gastrointestinal symptoms forced her to reschedule back-to-back work meetings. She wasn’t able to get her work done until later in the […]
People living with multiple sclerosis can continue to thrive in the workforce with early access to specialists in the disease and accommodations that give them control over their work environment. “MS really has a pretty broad impact on affected individuals’ health system and [on] society,” said Ruth Ann Marrie, professor of medicine and community health […]
It took an “intense, painful and scary” flare and emergency surgery at age 38 for Marie-Josée Lafleur (pictured right) to finally be diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, after being misdiagnosed for 15 years. IBD, which is typically diagnosed between ages 16 and 30, is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the gastrointestinal tract, creating […]
While about a million Canadians live with psoriasis, one in three will go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, said Rachael Manion, executive director of the Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients and the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance, during a session supported by UCB Canada Inc. at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work event in February. Psoriasis […]
Women who develop inflammatory arthritis or psoriasis often do so in the prime of their lives, leaving them with concerns related to their reproductive and sexual health. But they struggle to find support in their employer-sponsored benefits plans. “We know that diversity, equity and inclusion are a really big piece of [human resources] these days,” […]
Some 8.4 million adult Canadians adults live with obesity and severe obesity has increased 455 per cent since 1985, according to Dr. Mary Forhan (pictured left), scientific director-elect of Obesity Canada, during a session supported by Desjardins Insurance at Benefits Canada‘s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work event in February. Although many believe that people can […]
Chronic physical health conditions and anxiety and mood disorders are frequently co-morbid conditions, so it’s important for employers to understand the link and how to support staff in the workplace, said Deborah McLeod, clinical director at Carepath Inc., during Benefits Canada’s 2022 Chronic Disease at Work conference in February. People living with chronic physical health […]
An article on British Columbia’s paramedics and their need for enhanced mental-health benefits was the most read story over the past week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. B.C. paramedics seeking enhanced mental-health benefits 2. Canadian pension plans overcoming legislation, governance challenges: webinar 3. Ontario’s DB pension plans should take steps […]