In the midst of the most significant socio-economic and health crisis since WWII — and maybe even longer — virtually every aspect of modern society has been affected in some way, and employee benefits programs are no exception. Before the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing in Canada, employers were focused on ensuring employees diagnosed with the […]
Private drug plans saw a slight uptick in costs in 2019 due to the increased use of specialty drugs and higher price points for traditional medications, according to Express Scripts Canada’s annual drug trends report. The report found private drug plan spending per claimant increased one per cent over 2018’s figures. Plans’ annual spend per claimant on […]
When a person experiences a cancer diagnosis and undergoes treatment, it can be one of the most distressing experiences they can go through, so it’s important for employers to understand psychosocial oncology. “We’re now collecting evidence to show that proactive care — psychosocial oncology — is effective in helping people prepare and deal with psychological […]
Dr. Jennifer Wild, consultant clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Oxford When we’re feeling ill, we want to be seen quickly by our doctors. Earlier access to treatment means less suffering, whether we’re dealing with a chest infection or something more debilitating like depression. Telemedicine eases access to assessment and treatment, which […]
On Dec. 12, the 2019 Vancouver Mental Health Summit showcased ideas on how to approach mental health in the workplace, including how to remove the stigma of mental illness and what plan sponsors can do to facilitate positive return-to-work transitions. Considering how mental-health support, accommodation is changing Sixty per cent of working Canadians have experienced […]
Workplace mental-health programs can demonstrate a huge return on investment for an organization’s bottom line, as well as reducing absenteeism and presenteeism, said Nir Yahav, mental-health specialist on the national disability best practices team at Manulife, during a session at Benefits Canada’s 2019 Vancouver Mental Health Summit on Dec. 12. There are huge costs associated with presenteeism, […]
While 2.7 million Canadians suffer from migraine, the condition can be subdivided based on its frequency, said Dr. Esma Dilli, neurologist and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, during Benefits Canada’s 2019 Vancouver Mental Health Summit on Dec. 12. Episodic migraine is defined by less than 15 headache days a month, whereas […]
People don’t often make the association between nutrition and long-term mood, as well as how diet can impact the brain’s function and its structure, according to Charmaine Alexander, senior advisor on Desjardins Insurance’s disability management team. “We know that between the rise of mental illness in our current lifestyle, just as with obesity, maybe what we’re […]
On Nov. 29, the 2019 Toronto Mental Health Summit featured sessions on how employers can approach mental health in the workplace, including removing the stigma and facilitating positive return-to-work transitions. Here’s what you missed! Social connection can build or erode mental health, resilience Between 2017 and 2019, the number of individuals reporting mental-health issues has risen […]
Mental-health symptomology — such as difficulty concentrating, feelings of isolation and lack of motivation — is incredibly impactful in the workplace and makes it difficult for people to function at or return to work. “There’s no question that anxiety and depression are very prevalent in the Canadian workplace and are very relevant to plan sponsors,” […]