Carers@Work

International Comparison ofWorking Carers‘ Reconciliation Strategies

in Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK

Professor Andreas Hoff a.hoff@hszg.de,Zittau/Goerlitz University, Germany

on behalf of the Carers@Work consortiumhttp://www.carersatwork.tu-dortmund.de/en/

IFA 11th Global Conference on Ageing

31 May 2012

Carers@WorkContents

1. Research consortium and funding2. Research questions3. Rationale for selecting countries4. Methodological design4.1Research methods4.2Theoretical sample and sample realisation5. Socio-demographics, care and work situation6. Combining employment and family care6.1Typical conflict patterns6.2 Reconciliation strategies7. Conclusions: How can working carers be effectively

supported?

Carers@Work

1. Research consortium and

funding

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Funding

This project was funded (€ 400,000) by the Volkswagen Foundation within their Research

Programme “Individual and Societal Perspectives of Ageing“ for 2 years from

01/01/2009 to 31/12/2010

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Carers@work research consortiumEnterprise study: Technical University Dortmund (Germany):

Prof. Dr. Monika Reichert (Coordinator), Annette Franke University Duisburg-Essen (Germany): Prof. Dr.

Gerhard Bäcker, Angelika Kümmerling Family carer study: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Germany):

Dr. Hanneli Döhner, Susanne Kohler Instituto Nazionale Riposo e Cura Anziani INRCA (Italy)

Dr. Giovanni Lamura, Dr. Andrea Principi, Sara Santini Jagiellonian University Cracow (Poland):

Dr. Jolanta Perek-Bialas, Justyna Stypinska University of Oxford (UK):

Dr. Andreas Hoff, Kate Hamblin

Carers@Work10 Research Reports

1 Final Report Secondary Data Analysis SHARE/ELSA + EUROFAMCARE

1 Final Report Employers Perspective

4 National Reports (Germany, Italy, Poland, UK)

1 International Comparative Report 1 International Literature Review

1 European Policy Report

1 Expert Report on the Economic Costs of Lack of Reconciliation

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2. Research questions

Carers@WorkResearch questions

1. What are typical conflict situations between work and care?2. What strategies do carers use to reconcile work and care for an

older individual? 3. How does qualification level of the carers influence the

reconciliation of work and care for an older individual?4. How do employment and income situation of the caregivers'

households influence the reconciliation of work and care?5. What kind of gender inequalities result from reconciliation?6. What kind of support at public, company or societal level is most

efficient for the reconciliation of employment and care for older people?

7. Are there any country specific conflicts or reconciliation strategies?8. Do carers and employers identify similar or different

conflicts/strategies?

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3. Rationale for selecting

countries

Carers@WorkCountry differences: Welfare state regimes

(Esping-Andersen 1990; Deacon et al. 1992; Ferrara 1996)

Conservative-corporatist

Liberal-residual

Mediterranean

Post-communist

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Country differences: care providers

Family and professional care services

Family and professional care services

Family (low level of care infrastructure)

Family (low level of care infrastructure)

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Country differences: Labour force participation rate of women in % (Eurostat 2010)

Women between 15 and 64 years 66.2 65.0 46.4 52.8

Older workers (55-64 years) 58.2 57.5 35.7 32.3

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4. Methodological design carers

study

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4.1 Research methods

Carers@WorkWho is a working carer?

According to EUROCARERS a carer is ‘a person who provides unpaid care to someone with a chronic illness, disability or other long lasting health or care need, outside a professional or formal framework’.

‘Carers’ in this study are defined as any person who cares on an unpaid basis for someone 60 years and older (does not need to be family member), for at least 10 hours per week.

‘Caring’ means: physical care, instrumental support, household tasks (ADL and IADL), emotional care, and management of care (excluding financial help only);

A ‘working carer’ is any person who reconciles these caring tasks and work- for this study, we have included anyone who works more than 10 hours per week in regular employment (therefore seasonal or occasional employment was not included).

Carers@Work

Research methods Semi-structured, topic-guide based interviews with 60

working family carers in each of the four participating countries (Germany, Italy, Poland, UK) Problem-centred interview according to Witzel

Transcription of all interviews Computer assisted analysis (MAXQDA) using qualitative

content analysis Qualitative content analysis according to Mayring

Same topic-guide in the 4 countries Country based analysis first (4 National Reports),

feeding into comparative report

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4.2 Theoretical sample

and sample realisation

Carers@WorkTheoretical Sample

60 interviews in each country; Combining the aim of a mixed sample with saturation; The desired mixed sample is as follows:

Qualification Level

Couple, both working

Couple, one working

Single, working

High (A Levels and above)

10 10 10

Low (up to GCSEs)

10 10 10

Carers@WorkRealised Sample (N=226)

  Couple both working

Couple one working

Single Total Total

High level of education (ISCED 4-6)   

DE = 21 DE =12 DE = 08 41

139UK = 11 UK = 10 UK = 13 34

I = 11 I = 03 I = 10 24PL = 18 PL = 05 PL = 17 40

Low level of education (ISCED 0-3)   

DE = 08 DE = 04 DE = 05 17

85UK = 06 UK = 03 UK = 05 14

I = 16 I = 10 I = 10 36PL = 11 PL = 03 PL = 04 18

Total    

DE = 29 DE = 16 DE = 13 58

226UK = 18 UK = 14 UK = 18 50

I = 27 I = 13 I = 20 60PL = 29 PL = 8 PL = 21 58

Total 102 50 72 226 

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5. Socio-demographics,

work and care situation

Carers@WorkSocio-demographics

Female carer 86 % 82 % 68 % 81 %

Married carerWidowed car.

78 %3 %

68 %8 %

70 %3 %

60 %17 %

Age carer 54 years 54 years 52 years 52 years

Age care recipient

82 years 78 years 84 years 82 years

Carers@WorkCare situation

50+ hours care p. Week

36 % 60 % 2 % 33 %

3-5 y. care10+ years

36 %8 %

30 %32 %

50 %15 %

29 %32 %

1 care recipient

78 % 64 % 92 % 81 %

Caring for mother

47 % 42 % 67 % 58 %

Carers@WorkWork situation

Emp. status employee

67 % 84 % 42 %(55% civil s.)

74 %

Priv. SectorPubl. Sector

36 %30 %

26 %48 %

27 %70 %

31 %43 %

Occupation professionals

38 % 44 % 25 %(47% clerks)

48 %

Full-timeEmployment

66 % 50 % 78 % 66 %

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6. Combining employment

and care

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6.1 Typical conflict patterns

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26

Typical conflict situations – similar

TIME

Lack of time X X X X

Never time to relax X X X X

No break between work and care

X X X X

Inflexible opening hours

X X X X

Not enough time for friends & family

X X X X

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27

Typical conflict situations – similar

WORKPLACE / HEALTH

Tiredness, lack of attention

X X X X

Crises X X X X

Limited career progression

X X X X

Stress – detoriating health

X X X X

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28

Typical conflict situations – different

Financial problems Low (LTCI, many

better off)

Strong (additional expenses for care)

Medium (extra

expenses)

Medium (much family

involve-ment)

Problems with work colleagues / line managers

Frequent (fight for

entitlem., priv.

Sector)

Rarely(Line

managers, public sector)

Infrequent(Private matter)

Infrequent(Private matter)

Conflicts with siblings Frequent Frequent Rarely Rarely

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Conflicts: most significant cross-country variationAdjustments in job necessary (working hours, career progression)High prevalence of burn-outFinancial effect (half of the sample, the other half not)

Adjustments in job necessary (working hours, career progression) Family conflict (brothers & sisters) Financial effect

No reduction of working hours – strict separation work / family Strengthening of family bondsConflicts in case of hospitalisation

No reduction of working hours – strict separation work / familySignificant effect on well-being of the working carersFamily conflict (brothers & sisters)

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6.2 Reconciliation strategies

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Informal reconciliation strategies

Sharing burden among family members x x X X

Friends & neighbours as last resort x X

Time out X X X X

Carers@WorkSemi-formal reconciliation strategies

‘Bank of trust’ with line manager, colleagues (includes working long hours, etc.)

(x) X

Support from voluntary sector X X

Purchase of private care services (x) X

Migrant care workers (x) x

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Formal reconciliation strategies

Flexi-time X X

Care leave X X X

Public care services X (x) (x)Cash benefits for care recipients X X X X

Cash benefits for carers X X X (x)

Day-care centres X X

Formal company policies X X

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Strategies: most significant cross-country variation

Using care services + payments of Long-Term Care Insurance

Building a relationship of trust with line manager

Employing a migrant care worker

Sharing the burden with other family members

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7. Conclusions

Carers@WorkOutlook: How to support more effectively?

Paid care leave schemes Entitlement to flexibility in workplace Entitlement to respite care, ideally at home Introduction of emergency services for carers Longer hours + greater flexibility of care services Home visits by care services (information, advice) Holiday resorts including care facilities Less bureaucracy! Shorter waiting times! Co-operation between professional + informal carers Better transition between institutional/home care Accommodate specific needs of Dementia patients

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Thank you very much for your attention!

Find out more at: http://www.carersatwork.tu-dortmund.de/en/

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Annex: Additional information

Carers@WorkKey elements of the research

(A) Carers Study International literature review Secondary data analysis of

SHARE/ELSA+EUROFAMCARE N = 60 qualitative topic-guide

based interviews in Germany, UK, Italy and Poland with working carers

Four national reports International report Guidelines, policy briefs

(B) Enterprise Study International literature review Review of enterprise-level

agreements on reconciliation Identification examples of best

practice expert interviews in Germany,

UK, Italy and Poland Expert report on economic

costs if no reconciliation European Care Policy Report Guidelines, policy briefs