- Research by HomeEquity Bank shows gap between Canadians’ desire to age in place and the realities around arranging and planning for costs of in-home care.
Toronto, ON, May 19, 2026 – HomeEquity Bank (HEB) today announced the launch of its new National Caregiving Awards, created to recognize the Personal Support Workers (PSWs), caregivers, and home care professionals whose compassion and expertise help Canadians age with dignity in the homes and communities they love.
Building on its longstanding commitment to celebrating caregivers – including HEB’s Home Care Heroes Awards launched in 2022 – this refreshed program expands recognition across the broader caregiving community. The awards are designed not only to celebrate these home care heroes, but also to encourage more open, proactive conversations about planning for care at home.
Meaningful Gap Between Aspirations and Readiness
The launch of the National Caregiving Awards is supported by new HomeEquity Bank research that highlights a significant gap between Canadians’ desire to age in place and their preparedness to do so.
- 90% of Canadians say they want to remain in their homes as they age.
- Yet only 58% say they understand the true costs of in-home care.
- And still 72% said typical hourly rates were higher than expected.
- 52% have started planning conversations with loved ones or trusted professionals.
- 47% have spoken with family and loved ones about their care preferences, and only 8% have spoken with a financial advisor about planning to pay for the care they want.
- 55% feel confident they know how to access and arrange home care services.
These findings point to a clear planning and information gap, as many Canadians underestimate both the complexity and cost of securing care at home.
Recognizing Caregivers and Starting the Right Conversations
The National Caregiving Awards aim to elevate the essential role caregivers play while helping Canadians better understand what it takes to age safely and comfortably at home.
“At a time when Canadians are increasingly focused on aging in place, the role of caregivers has never been more important,” said Yvonne Ziomecki-Fisher, Chief Customer, Brand & Advice Officer at HomeEquity Bank. “Our research shows there is a meaningful gap between aspiration and readiness. Canadians want to stay in their homes, but many have not yet taken the steps needed to plan for care.”
“Planning earlier helps people better understand their options, prepare financially, and put the right supports in place. Our National Caregiving Awards are a way to recognize the individuals who make aging at home possible every day, and to encourage more informed, realistic conversations about care.”
Supporting Canadians with Trusted Resources
While valuable information exists, including resources such as the Government of Canada’s Thinking About Aging in Place and the National Institute on Ageing’s Ageing in the Right Place, navigating care options remains complex, particularly at the provincial and local level, where services and supports can vary significantly.
The National Caregiving Awards help bring greater visibility to both the caregivers delivering this support and the broader ecosystem required to sustain aging at home.
National Caregiving Awards: Celebrating Home Care Heroes
HomeEquity Bank’s National Caregiving Awards will honour five caregivers with a $1,500 award each. From now until June 8, 2026, Canadians 55+ and their families can nominate a caregiver via a video submission to share their story at: www.chip.ca/caregivers.
About HomeEquity Bank
HomeEquity Bank (HEB) is the original and leading provider of reverse mortgages in Canada. HEB is a Schedule 1 Canadian Bank offering a range of reverse mortgage solutions, including the flagship CHIP Reverse Mortgage product. The company was founded in 1986 to address the financial needs of Canadians who wanted to access the equity of their top asset — their home. The Bank is committed to empowering Canadians aged 55 plus to live the retirement they deserve, in the home they love. HEB is a portfolio company of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, a global investor that delivers retirement income for 340,000 current and retired teachers in Ontario. For more information, visit www.chip.ca.
About the Study
These are the findings of a HomeEquity Bank client survey conducted between May 6 and May 13, 2026. A total of n=319 HomeEquity Bank clients made up of Canadians 55+ participated in the survey, which was fielded via Qualtrics. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Media, please contact:
Rebecca Rosenberg, HomeEquity Bank, (416) 678-3183 | rrosenberg@heb.ca