Around the world, the proportion of the population at older ages is increasing. According to research, in 1950 only 1% of all people were over the age of 80, by 2010 they were already 4%, and by 2050 the same research predicts their share will increase to 10% (Bauer & Sousa-Poza, 2015). This exacerbates the problem of caring for the elderly. In most other countries, it is the relatives who bear the main burden of caring for the elderly and people with disabilities, which cannot but affect their socio-economic situation in one way or another. Caregiver burden refers to stress which one experiences while caring for elderly, physically or mentally disabled family members or because of the home care situation, in general. Due to increasing amount of people choosing to take care informally, the stress level of caretakers increases. Informal caregiving also affects employment rates. Thus, it can be said that informal caregiving has a negative impact on caregivers’ lives.
In the scientific literature, both quantitative and qualitative, is devoted to how caring for elderly family members or people with disabilities affects life of those who care. Although most of the literature focuses on negative impacts, there are also studies that focus on the positive effects of care on the health and well-being of caregivers. Quite a lot of articles are devoted to the problem of a double load, the so-called sandwich generation, which takes care of both children and elderly parents at the same time.
Support for family caregivers is essential given that for people of working age, the main problem is the difficulty of balancing assistance and paid work. They often must make the choice to reduce working hours or stop working altogether, which is not only affects their income but also makes it harder to find a job in the future and reduces the likelihood of returning to the labor market (Bauer & Sousa-Poza, 2015). In addition, this type of long-term care can lead to increased levels of stress, potentially leading to poor physical and mental health.
According to research, in the countries with higher amount of informal caregivers, the rate of unemployment is significantly higher (Plöthner et al., 2021). Long-term informal care is usually understood as intensive care, when a person cares for a certain number of hours per week of someone who has completely or partially lost the ability to perform activities of daily living (Activities of daily living, ADL), as well as the ability to live independently and perform daily activities (shopping, filling out documents, cooking, etc.) (Bauer & Sousa-Poza, 2015). The concept of ADL is widely used throughout the world. However, a more precise definition of long-term care is difficult due to the fact that it varies from country to country. One of the most important aspects is the impact of leaving on the level of employment. The more people take care of their family member, the less likely they to be employed now or in the nearest future.
Beyond the threshold of 20 hours of care per week, the caregiver’s likelihood of being employed is reduced, as is their hourly wage compared to non-caregivers. At the same time, if less than 20 hours a week are spent caring for a loved one, then the likelihood of employment for caregivers, on the contrary, is higher than for those who do not care for anyone, but the number of working hours is lower. Similar results were obtained in other, more recent studies.
As with the unemployed, the reduction in working hours is mostly felt among those caring for 20 hours or more per week; in some countries (Australia, UK), the effect is already apparent among those who provide related care for 10 or more hours a week (Plöthner et al., 2021). It is also worth noting that if women are involved in family care, they are more likely to refuse employment, while men tend to decrease the number of hours they work per week.
The decrease in earning opportunities is also followed by the fact that, in general, the financial situation of households in which there are carers and those who are cared for is worse, as there is a double loss of income (the one who has lost the ability to self-care and works less or does not the one who cares works). In addition, there may be additional expenses for the adaptation of the home, a special diet, various fixtures and equipment, special clothes, and shoes.
The logical solution to the issue of increasing unemployment due to informal caregiving can be nursing. Nurses are called “professional” caregivers since they are trained and educated to take care of patients with different needs and of different background. Therefore, they can dedicate their time and effort into helping those families that cannot do so. Practicing nurses can help with lifting the burden from family members and, as a result, they can work full-time and focus on their careers without experiencing constant stress and not risking their future.
Thus, it can be said that the provision of long-term care has a direct impact on the fact of employment because the labor market does not provide enough jobs with flexible working hours. At the same time, care decisions and labor market behaviors are influenced by the sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers. Older and less educated family members are more likely to be selected for the role of caregiver, as they have fewer opportunities in the labor market and their employment may generate less labor income. As a result of all the above, it can be assumed that related care increases the risks of poverty for caregivers of the elderly and people with disabilities.
The need for care increases with age as health deteriorates. In this regard, the need to care for their closest relatives (for example, a spouse or parents) arises, as a rule, at the pre-retirement and retirement age. At the same time, one-fifth of family caregivers have underage children and experience the double burden of caring for both their children and elderly relatives. Therefore, the need for presence of nurse is needed more each day. Well educated nurses can not only take care of elderly and disabled more effectively, but also allow informal caregivers to maintain their jobs and routine. Nowadays, caretaking should be done by professionals to benefit both the patient and their families.
References
Bauer, J. M., & Sousa-Poza, A. (2015). Impacts of informal caregiving on caregiver employment, health, and family. Journal of Population Ageing, 8(6), 113–145.
Plöthner, M., Schmidt, K., & de Jong, L. (2021). Needs and preferences of informal caregivers regarding outpatient care for the elderly: a systematic literature review. BMC Geriatrics, 19(82), 1–19.