Workshop B Prof.Kaisa Kauppinen Workign adn Caring for an Older Person in Finland

Combining working and caring at mid-life: an empty nest or new care duties?

Kaisa Kauppinen, Research professor, FIOHInternational Conference on Care and Work-Care Reconciliation 12 – 13 August 2013 University of Leeds

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Images of an ageing population

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Conflicting Trends: Who cares when your (Grand)mother gets sick?

• In the EU older workers (55+) are urged to stay on at work for longer

• A typical informal (family) carer is a female family member in her 50s

• Increased women’s labour force participation at 55+

• Women with high educational levels stay (and wish to stay) longer in labour market

• Delayed parenting, ’older mothers’

• "Sandwiched" between multiple care demands

• In Finland, of working aged 45-63 people who care for an older or sick family member, 28 % have children at home (Work and Health Survey, 2013).

Sirkku Ala-Harja: Sandwich Kid

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Female employment rate (55to 64) by selected countries 1997 and 2010. Eurostat, 2011.

• EU 27 26,1 38,6

• Germany 28,3 50,5• Austria 17,0 33,7• Denmark 40,3 52,5• Estonia (-98) 41,6 54,9• Finland 33,3 56,9 (60,4 in 2011)• Spain 18,0 33,2• France 25,0 37,4• Netherlands 19,9 42,8• Italy 14,8 26,2• United Kingdom 38,5 49,5• Sweden 60,4 66,7

• U.S. 49,5 56,4 (-07)• Japan 48,4 51,2

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Results from the FIOH Work and Health in Finland Survey 2012

• The FIOH Work and Health Survey is conducted every three years. The sample is representative of the whole working-aged population in Finland from 25 to 68 years of age. The total sample is about 3,000 (half women, half men)

• A question: Do you care for another person who needs help and care because of his/her old age, disability or other reason in addition to your working outside the home?

• Yes: Women 31 %, men 22 %, total 28 % – about 700 000 working people in the Finnish labour

market– corresponds to the latest figures presented by OECD

(2011)

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A special focus on carers belonging to the age group of 45 and 63?

• Who is the person whom you are caring for

• My own or spouse’s parent(s)– women 78 %, men 82 %

• Other relative– women 10 %, men 8 %

• My own or spouse’s special-needs child– women 5 %, men 2 %

• My own spouse– women 2 %, men 4 %

• Somebody else (a friend, neighbour) – women 5 %, men 4 %

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The intensity of care-giving: How often?

• Daily or weekly– Men 40 %, Women 60 %

• 2-3 times per month– Men 30 %, Women 25 %

• Less often– Men 30 % Women 15 %

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What kind of care-activities provided?

• Household work– Men 45 %, women 66 % ++

• Shopping, chauffeuring, helping around– men 71 %, women 71 %

• Physical care (bathing, dressing, personal hygiene)– men 21 %, women 37 %++

• Repair and maintenance work, gardening – men 65 %, women 34 %+++

• Financial assistance– men 7 %, women 7 %

• Advocacy issues and organizing health care services– men 60 %, women 65%

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Workplace practices to combine working and caring (FIOH survey with carers n= 97, 67 % women) 2013

• Employee-supervisor negotations for free time from work (45 %)

• Flexitime (45 %)

• Working hours bank (20 %)

• Alternation leave (sabbatical) (18 %)

• Re-arrangements of annual leave days (15 %)

• Part-time work, shorter work hours, working from home, teleworking (12 %)

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A good example: Finnish food manufacturer Saarioinen

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Finnish food manufacturer Saarioinen: senior programme for people 55+

• The role of shop floor level supervisors is central

• the retirement age has risen • employees can more flexibly

combine their care duties with work schedules

• "I asked some time for recuperation from heavy care duties with my sick mother, and with more flexibility at work I feel much better", Leila Marin, 2011

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Sensitive age management policies can be good for your business

Thank you!

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