While successfully reintegrating employees into the workplace following an illness or injury clearly benefits the returning employee, it also benefits employers by enabling employees to continue contributing to the organization and mitigating costs such as premiums. During a session at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit, Robert Cross, senior director of claims, contact centres, group […]
The group insurance industry saw a rapid rise in claims related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly among women over age 40, said Catherine Biermann (pictured left), manager of digital products, solutions and partnerships at Medavie Blue Cross, moderating a Q&A session with two medical experts at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Mental Health Summit. […]
SPONSORED CONTENT Community pharmacies are becoming centres of timely, accessible health care with a growing number of health services as pharmacists’ scope of practice increases, something benefits plan sponsors can consider to improve health outcomes for employees. Ninety-five per cent of Canadians live within five to 10 kilometres of a community pharmacy, giving them another […]
When Lisa, a 46-year-old marketing manager, started experiencing perimenopause, her career took a hit. Dealing with brain fog, sleep disruption and hot flashes, she shifted to a four-day workweek, cutting her income by 20 per cent, and also started to contemplate an early retirement. Her doctor dismissed her symptoms as just a part of aging […]
When a plan member wants to lose weight but doesn’t know where to start or is unsure what their benefits plan covers, it can feel like a game of snakes and ladders, said Eveline Keable, strategic leader of health, wellness and disability for group benefits and retirement solutions at iA Financial Group, during Benefits Canada’s […]
When a 49-year-old woman attended Dr. Phil McFarlane’s multi-care kidney clinic with polycystic kidney disease, she had multiple health issues, including chronic flank pain and fatigue, and had been to the emergency room multiple times. She was dealing with a “high anxiety burden” from her health issues, the financial burden from the necessary medications and […]
Chronic illnesses are strongly linked to worse outcomes from vaccine-preventable diseases. Given the rising rate of chronic conditions in the workplace, employers should consider implementing benefits coverage for vaccines and hosting workplace vaccine clinics, said Ajit Johal, a community pharmacist and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and the founder of immunize.io. […]
Over the past 20 years, the amount Canadians spend on their personal fitness, health and wellness has more than doubled, yet they’ve experienced worse health outcomes during that time. Specifically, roughly half of Canadians have at least one chronic disease, the prevalence of diabetes has almost doubled and mental-health challenges represent an increasing share of […]
Women over the age of 40 represent a quarter of the Canadian working population, with those between the ages of 45 and 55 the fastest growing cohort of working women. Those ages coincide with the time period when women are most likely to begin perimenopause and menopause, making it incumbent on employers to create menopause-inclusive […]
Employees returning from a disability leave and their people managers have notably different perceptions about the return-to-work experience, according to recent research by Sun Life. “On the employer side, we can assume they have the best of intentions, but our research indicates many may not be in tune with or aware of what employees’ needs […]