The Working Informal Caregiver Model: A Mixed Methods Approach to Explore Future Informal Caregiving by Working Caregivers

Eline E. Vos, Henk B. M. Hilderink, Simone R. de Bruin, Allard J. van der Beek and Karin I. Proper
Additional contact information
Eline E. Vos: Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Henk B. M. Hilderink: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Simone R. de Bruin: Research Group Living Well with Dementia, Department of Health and Wellbeing, Campus 2, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 10090, 8000 GB Zwolle, The Netherlands
Allard J. van der Beek: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karin I. Proper: Center for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: A growing number of informal caregivers of older adults combine caregiving with a paid job, raising the question of whether they will be able to meet the increasing demand for informal care. The aims of our study are twofold: first, to describe the development of a model providing insight into the factors that play a role in the availability and provision of informal care by working caregivers of older adults, and second, to investigate which societal developments will impact the factors in the model, and thus the future availability of informal care by workers. A mixed-methods approach was applied to integrate evidence from academic and grey literature, with insights from experts through a Group Model Building exercise and a Delphi study. The resulting Working Informal Caregiver (WIC) model presents a range of individual, social and environmental factors that are related to working caregivers’ ability and their willingness to engage in informal care. Experts foresee that future informal care will be impacted most by the increasing participation of women in the workforce, while changing household structures may diminish opportunities to share care tasks within their households or families. The WIC model can be used to gain better insight into the availability of informal care by workers, now and in the future.

Keywords: informal care; work; working caregivers; older adults; eldercare; conceptual model; framework; determinants; Delphi study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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