- Informal care for older relatives continues to affect the labor market, and the effects remain gendered, according to a new study in Canada.
Smith's team analyzed nearly six million responses, collected between 1997-2015, to Statistics Canada's monthly Labor Force Survey, which tracks trends in labor market participation and the hours worked across major industries. "This is a problem that is not going away," Smith said."Along with the population aging, people are trying to live as long as possible at home and receive care there."
"Women consistently not only have pay inequity but weaker labor force participation, which can explain poverty risks later in life, especially as women tend to live longer than men and have fewer resources over their lifetime," said Ernest Gonzales of New York University in New York City. Gonzales, who wasn't involved with this study, researches employment and caregiving.