Patterns of Interplay between Paid Employment and Family Care among Older Adults in Germany

Andreas Mergenthaler , Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB)
Norbert F. Schneider, Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB)

Background: The interplay between productive roles among older adults is still not adequately understood. In order to narrow this research gap, this article examines i) whether patterns of interplay between paid employment and informal family care exist among older adults in Germany, ii) how those patterns can be characterized by individual, sociodemographic, economic and work-related factors, and iii) whether the activities within the classes are complementary or substitutive, as posited by role theory. Data source and sample: Longitudinal data of the study “Transitions and Old Age Potential” (TOP) spanning a six-year period (2013-2019) were used with 1,561 cases aged 54-70 years at baseline. The activities examined included paid employment, care of one's own children or grandchildren, and the provision of care to other family members. Finite mixture models for zero-inflated count data were used to determine classes of group-based patterns of interplay over time. Results: Patterns of interplay between paid employment and family care can be categorized into six distinct classes. Those classes contrasted by sociodemographic, economic and work-related factors as well as individual intentions and attitudes towards retirement. Moreover, evidence from cross-legged panel models suggests a substitutive relation between these activities across the majority of classes, a relationship that persists into retirement. Conclusion: The findings offer new insights into the diverse array of patterns characterizing the interplay between paid employment and family care during the transition from the second to the third age. This evidence is not only relevant for Germany, but also for other countries with ageing populations.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session P2. Health, Mortality, Ageing - Aperitivo