Wounded Veterans, Wounded Families

As Canada engages in overseas military action and severely wounded soldiers are sent home, more needs to be done to help their struggling families, according to a new report released today by the University of Alberta.

The families of young wounded veterans released from active duty with severe disabilities are suffering poorer financial, social and health outcomes than any other group of caregivers studied by their team, said Norah Keating and Janet Fast, authors of the study, and professors in the Department of Human Ecology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

The report, titled Wounded Veterans, Wounded Families, revealed high levels of need for these severely disabled veterans and their families, many of whom are also trying to earn a living and raise young children. “These are families that have been dealt a real blow. Most of the men aren’t going to be in the labour force anymore.”

A Canada-wide survey of 142 wounded soldiers and 115 of their main caregivers conducted by the University of Alberta in partnership with Veterans Affairs Canada, revealed that they and their families often suffer acute, long-term financial losses, a lack of public support services and emotional stresses.