Increasing numbers of people in Canada (over 2 million people in a recent estimate) live with ongoing episodic disabilities. These include disabilities related to long-COVID, multiple sclerosis, lupus, arthritis, cancer, HIV, diabetes, and mental health conditions, amongst others.
Episodic disabilities are chronic health conditions characterized by fluctuating periods and degrees of illness and wellness. These periods can be unpredictable in duration, types of symptoms and frequency of recurrence.
For example, a person who is living with rheumatoid arthritis or depression might be well for several months, and then experience several episodes of illness in a row. Each episode may be different in terms of the symptoms experienced, how long it lasts and how intense the symptoms are.
The unpredictable nature of episodic disabilities can lead to many challenges for people living with these conditions. It can have a negative impact on meaningful community participation, employment, income security, social inclusion, and access to care.
Find out more about the challenges of living with an episodic disability.
Realize is a national charitable organization that was founded to address the rehabilitation needs of people living with HIV. Some of the challenges people living with HIV face are related to the episodic nature of their conditions – challenges that are also common to people living with other episodic conditions. That is why an important part of our work now focuses on episodic disabilities more broadly and why we collaborate with a wide range of organizations working to support people with other health conditions. Together we are stronger and have a greater capacity to effect change.
For instance, people living with episodic disabilities face significant employment and income support issues. Recurring, unpredictable periods of ill health make it difficult to work, especially full-time. Most people with episodic disabilities must rely on health and disability support programs. And due to the strict definitions and policies that govern these programs, many people are not able to participate in the workforce part-time or when their health allows.
Realize is a leader in research and advocacy addressing the range of complex barriers to inclusion that people living with episodic disabilities experience.
Realize is the convening organization for the Episodic Disabilities Forum — a pan-Canadian forum comprised of people with living experience, national disability organizations, federal policymakers, and researchers. Collectively we identify relevant evidence and policy initiatives and disseminate information to raise awareness of episodic disabilities, and to promote the inclusion of people in Canada who live with episodic disabilities.
Episodic Disabilities Resources
IDEAL Community Consultations
Intersectionality, episodic disability and access to health services, community supports and employment in Canada
Throughout 2023, Realize worked with twelve national organizations serving people living with episodic disabilities to lead focused consultations within their respective communities. The focus was an intersectional examination into the living realities and various aspects of access barriers to health services, community-based organizations and employment for people living with episodic disabilities in the Canadian landscape. The participating organizations serve communities that provided unique intersectional considerations of gender, racial identity, faith community, health conditions, sexual identity, and age with disability.
(Partner organizations involved: Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities, Asian Community AIDS Services, Canadian Multicultural Disability Centre Inc., CanAge, Communities, Alliances, And Networks, DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada Disability Empowerment Equity Network Support Services, Live Educate Transform Society, National Educational Association of Disabled Students, Pride at Work Canada, and YouthCO.)
The objectives of this initiative were:
- To address the deficit of research on living with episodic disabilities through a disability-justice lens, led by people living with disabilities.
- To examine the realities that diverse disability communities are navigating.
- To better understand diversity in disability culture among subgroups such as youth, Muslims, 2SLGBTQIA+ folks and others.
- To broaden perspectives on people living with episodic disabilities and work.
- To examine access to and experience of health services and/or community-based organizations by diverse community members who are living with episodic disabilities.
- To increase the capacity of employers to respond effectively to the challenges facing people living with episodic disabilities and provide appropriate accommodations.
This Executive Summary includes key findings, a summary of insights, and links to each of the 12 partner reports.
Workplaces REVAMPED Final Report
This is the final report of the Realize project titled ‘REVAMPED’, Workplaces REcognizing the VAlue of eMPloyees with Episodic Disabilities funded by the Opportunities Fund of Employment and Social Development Canada.
The REVAMPED Project Objectives were targeted:
1. To increase awareness of episodic disabilities among employers;
2. To increase the understanding of employers of the challenges related to working and
living with episodic disabilities;
3. To increase the capacity of employers to respond effectively to the challenges facing
people living with episodic disabilities;
4. To increase access to information and networking opportunities for small, medium and
large employers on leading practices in accommodating employees living with episodic
disabilities in the workplace; and
5. To increase the capacity of people living with episodic disabilities to communicate
effectively about their lived experience.
Recommendations for Employers, Insurers, Human Resource Personnel and Rehabilitation Professionals on Return to Work for People Living with Long COVID
This is a living document that is continually updated based on emerging evidence in the field. The reference list provides scientific support to statements within the document and hyperlinks provide an enriched understanding of concepts that will reach the broader public.