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Les déterminants socio-démographiques de la prise en charge des personnes âgées en situation de perte d’autonomie

Author

Listed:
  • Witnie Compère
  • Bertrand Achou
  • Philippe De Donder
  • Raquel Fonseca
  • Franca Glenzer
  • Minjoon Lee
  • Marie-Louise Leroux

Abstract

This paper examines the main socioeconomic and demographic determinants likely to influence individuals’ decisions to provide long-term care to their parents. To do so, the authors draw on original data from a survey conducted in 2023 among 2,300 people living in Quebec and Ontario, aged 45 to 58. They successively analyze three dimensions of the decision to provide anticipated help (the choice of the potential recipient, the type of care, and the expected weekly intensity) in order to capture the complexity of the decision-making process upstream of engagement in informal care. They show that these determinants are based on distinct trade-offs. The choice of caregiving arrangement is primarily shaped by organizational constraints (whether the caregiver works full time or not) and the anticipated burden (depending on the life expectancy of the care recipient), whereas the expected intensity of help depends on gender norms, time constraints (notably related to full-time employment and retirement), the perceived health status of the recipient, and the parent–child relationship. This heterogeneity highlights that the willingness to help stems neither from a purely affective logic nor from a strictly economic calculation. Ce papier examine les principaux déterminants socioéconomiques et démographiques susceptibles d’influencer la décision des individus d’offrir des soins de longue durée à leurs parents. Pour ce faire, Les auteur‧e‧s s’appuient sur des données originales issues d’une enquête menée en 2023 auprès de 2 300 personnes résidant au Québec et en Ontario, âgées de 45 à 58 ans. Ils analysent successivement trois dimensions de la décision d’aide anticipée (le choix du bénéficiaire potentiel, le type de soins et l’intensité hebdomadaire envisagée) afin de saisir la complexité du processus décisionnel en amont de l’engagement dans l’aide informelle. Ils montrent que ces déterminants reposent sur des arbitrages distincts. Le choix du mode de prise en charge est principalement structuré par les contraintes organisationnelles (selon que l’aidant travaille à temps plein ou non) et la charge anticipée (selon l’espérance de vie du proche aidé), tandis que l’intensité d’aide envisagée dépend des normes de genre, des contraintes de temps (notamment liées à l’emploi à temps plein et au départ à la retraite), de l’état de santé perçu du proche et de la relation de filiation. Cette hétérogénéité souligne que la volonté d’aider ne relève ni d’une logique purement affective ni d’un calcul strictement économique.

Suggested Citation

  • Witnie Compère & Bertrand Achou & Philippe De Donder & Raquel Fonseca & Franca Glenzer & Minjoon Lee & Marie-Louise Leroux, 2026. "Les déterminants socio-démographiques de la prise en charge des personnes âgées en situation de perte d’autonomie," CIRANO Working Papers 2026s-03, CIRANO.
    • Handle: RePEc:cir:cirwor:2026s-03
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simard-Duplain, Gaëlle, 2022. "Heterogeneity in informal care intensity and its impact on employment," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    2. Meghan M. Skira, 2015. "Dynamic Wage And Employment Effects Of Elder Parent Care," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 56, pages 63-93, February.
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    7. Susan L. Ettner, 1996. "The Opportunity Costs of Elder Care," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(1), pages 189-205.
    8. Meghan M. Skira, 2015. "Dynamic Wage And Employment Effects Of Elder Parent Care," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 56(1), pages 63-93, February.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General

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