IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jfamec/v45y2024i1d10.1007_s10834-023-09899-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Valuing the Contributions of Family Caregivers to the Care Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Janet Fast

    (University of Alberta)

  • Karen A. Duncan

    (University of Manitoba)

  • Norah C. Keating

    (North West University)

  • Choong Kim

    (University of Alberta)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the monetary value of Canadians’ family care work, to highlight inequalities within the family care sector and place this work within the care economy. Using Statistics Canada’s 2018 General Social Survey, we estimated the replacement cost of the 5.7 billion hours of respondents’ care work at between $97.1 billion and $112.7 billion. We used descriptive, backward stepwise regression and dominance analyses to examine the distribution of care responsibilities among caregivers. Caregivers comprised 22.1% of the sample (6.8 million Canadians). Living arrangement explained most (81-83%) of the variance in the value of unpaid care work, followed by generation (14-15%), income (2%) and gender (1-2%). These findings provide powerful evidence of the economic value of family care work and of the inequalities among family caregivers in the magnitude of their contributions. Monetizing the value of family care makes it more visible, locates it in the context of the broader care economy and establishes its relationship to the much more visible and valued realm of paid care work. This contextualization also responds to global action plans and resolutions urging governments to create systems of long-term and continuing care for people with chronic conditions and disabilities rather than imposing sole responsibility on unpaid caregivers.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet Fast & Karen A. Duncan & Norah C. Keating & Choong Kim, 2024. "Valuing the Contributions of Family Caregivers to the Care Economy," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 236-249, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:45:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10834-023-09899-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-023-09899-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10834-023-09899-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10834-023-09899-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. N. Keating, 2022. "A research framework for the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030)," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 775-787, September.
    2. Diana Albrecht & Tanja Wollensak & Christian Ernst & Clemens Becker & Martin Hautzinger & Klaus Pfeiffer, 2016. "Costs of informal care in a sample of German geriatric stroke survivors," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 49-61, March.
    3. Paul Hanly & Corina Sheerin, 2017. "Valuing Informal Care in Ireland: Beyond the Traditional Production Boundary," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 48(3), pages 337-364.
    4. Luz Peña-Longobardo & Juan Oliva-Moreno, 2015. "Economic valuation and determinants of informal care to people with Alzheimer’s disease," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(5), pages 507-515, June.
    5. Keating, Norah C. & Fast, Janet E. & Lero, Donna S. & Lucas, Sarah J. & Eales, Jacquie, 2014. "A taxonomy of the economic costs of family care to adults," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 3(C), pages 11-20.
    6. Sean Urwin & Yiu‐Shing Lau & Thomas Mason, 2019. "Investigating the relationship between formal and informal care: An application using panel data for people living together," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(8), pages 984-997, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brendan Walsh & Seán Lyons & Samantha Smith & Maev‐Ann Wren & James Eighan & Edgar Morgenroth, 2020. "Does formal home care reduce inpatient length of stay?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(12), pages 1620-1636, December.
    2. Juan Oliva-Moreno & Marta Trapero-Bertran & Luz Maria Peña-Longobardo & Raúl del Pozo-Rubio, 2017. "The Valuation of Informal Care in Cost-of-Illness Studies: A Systematic Review," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 331-345, March.
    3. Arora, Kanika, 2016. "How does dementia onset in parents influence unmarried adult children's wealth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 156-165.
    4. Jadranka Plužarić & Ivana Barać & Vesna Ilakovac & Robert Lovrić & Nikolina Farčić & Željko Mudri & Marija Barišić & Ivana Pavlić, 2023. "Connectedness and Successful Aging of Older Adults in Croatia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Privalko, Ivan & Maître, Bertrand & Watson, Dorothy & Grotti, Raffaele, 2019. "Access to childcare and home care services across Europe: an analysis of the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), 2016," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number BKMNEXT383, June.
    6. Oscar Erixson & Henry Ohlsson, 2019. "Estate division: equal sharing, exchange motives, and Cinderella effects," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 1437-1480, October.
    7. Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel & Jácome-Maldonado, Luis David & González-Rivero, Cynthia Beatriz & Lozano-Juárez, Luis Raymundo & Tella-Vega, Pamela & García-Peña, Carmen, 2022. "Monetary cost estimation of care for functionally dependent older adults in Mexico," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    8. Walsh, Brendan & Wren, Maev-Ann & Smith, Samantha & Lyons, Seán & Eighan, James & Morgenroth, Edgar, 2019. "An analysis of the effects on Irish hospital care of the supply of care inside and outside the hospital," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS91, June.
    9. Sean Urwin & Yiu‐Shing Lau & Gunn Grande & Matt Sutton, 2023. "Informal caregiving, time use and experienced wellbeing," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 356-374, February.
    10. Eric Bonsang & Joan Costa-Font & Joan Costa-i-Font, 2023. "The “Demise of the Caregiving Daughter”? Gender Employment Gaps and the Use of Formal and Informal Care in Europe," CESifo Working Paper Series 10792, CESifo.
    11. Eleni-Marina Ashikali & Catherine Ludwig & Laura Mastromauro & Samuel Périvier & Aude Tholomier & Irina Ionita & Christophe Graf & Catherine Busnel, 2023. "Intrinsic Capacities, Functional Ability, Physiological Systems, and Caregiver Support: A Targeted Synthesis of Effective Interventions and International Recommendations for Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-26, March.
    12. Keane, Claire & Seán Lyons & Mark Regan & Walsh, Brendan, 2022. "Home support services in Ireland: Exchequer and distributional impacts of funding options," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number SUSTAT111, June.
    13. Bonsang, Eric & Costa-Font, Joan, 2023. "The "Demise of the Caregiving Daughter"? Gender Employment Gaps and the Use of Formal and Informal Care in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 16615, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Huamin Chai & Rui Fu & Peter C. Coyte, 2021. "Does Unpaid Caregiving Erode Working Hours Among Middle-Aged Chinese Adults?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 977-999, October.
    15. Urwin, Sean & Lau, Yiu-Shing & Grande, Gunn & Sutton, Matthew, 2023. "Informal caregiving and the allocation of time: implications for opportunity costs and measurement," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    16. Francesco Longo & Karl Claxton & James Lomas & Stephen Martin, 2021. "Does public long‐term care expenditure improve care‐related quality of life of service users in England?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(10), pages 2561-2581, September.
    17. Zavyalova, Natalya, 2017. "BRICS money talks: Comparative socio-cultural communicative taxonomy of the New Development Bank," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 248-266.
    18. Juan Oliva-Moreno & Luz Peña-Longobardo & Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto, 2015. "An Estimation of the Value of Informal Care Provided to Dependent People in Spain," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 223-231, April.
    19. Carolina Foglia & Maria Laura Parisi & Nicola Pontarollo, 2023. "A senior liveability index for European cities," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 769-793, May.
    20. Walsh, Brendan & Keegan, Conor & Brick, Aoife & Connolly, Sheelah & Bergin, Adele & Wren, Maev-Ann & Lyons, Seán & Hill, Leonie & Smith, Samantha, 2021. "Projections of expenditure for primary, community and long-term care Ireland, 2019–2035, based on the Hippocrates model," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS126, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:45:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10834-023-09899-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.