Fact 6: Caregiving doesn’t end when the children are grown: Eldercare is a
growing responsibility of workers.
There are many people who need care besides children: the elderly and those with disabilities including grown children, spouses, siblings, and returning veterans. Most people care for someone besides themselves or a child during their lifetime. Approximately 40 million Americans (16% of the population aged 15 and older) provide unpaid care to an elderly relative or friend each year.
Fact 7: Men and women alike face challenges as they try to balance work
and family:
Men and women are increasingly pressed for time and, as a result, struggle to meet their work and family responsibilities. Dads’ desires to be active caregivers and to share parenting with their partners has likely contributed to the unprecedented level of reported conflict between work and family among men.
Fact 8: Many workplaces have not kept up with the needs of 21st century workers and families:
Workers struggling to balance their work and family obligations are increasingly choosing to work for employers that offer flexibility, and workers, in some cases, are leaving jobs that don’t offer the flexibility or time off they need to address their family responsibilities. Overall, a third of workers have passed up a job because it conflicted with family obligations.
Fact 9: Providing workplace flexibility and paid leave strengthens families, businesses, and our economy:
Policies that increase workplace flexibility, such as job sharing, phased retirement of older workers, flexible hours, and use of telecommuting, allow workers to continue making productive contributions to the workforce while also attending to family and other responsibilities.
For the full report from the White House Economic Advisers click here.