Working and Caring for an Older Person in Finland. Prof Kaisa Kauppinen, Research Professor, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland Carers and Work-Care Reconciliation International Conference University of Leeds, 13th August 2013

1. Combining working and caring
at mid-life: an empty nest or
new care duties?
Kaisa Kauppinen, Research professor, FIOH
International Conference on Care and Work-Care
Reconciliation
12 – 13 August 2013 University of Leeds

2. Images of an ageing population
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 2

3. 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
Sirkku Ala-Harja: Sandwich Kid
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 3

4. 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
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 / MM / 24.10.2014 4

5. 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)
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 5

6. 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 %
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 6

7. 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 %
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 7

8. 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%
FIOH/Kauppinen/2007 8

9. 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 %)
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 9

10. A good example: Finnish food manufacturer
Saarioinen
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 10

11. 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
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 11

12. Sensitive age management policies can be
good for your business
Thank you!
www.ttl.fi
Presentation heading / Työterveyslaitos / MM / 24.10.2014 12