Unpaid caregiving to adults: the importance and challenges of using time use data
(2026) 2. p.186-199- Abstract
- opulation ageing is increasing the demand for long-term care services across high-income countries, a trend which will continue as populations over 80 years old increase in size. Unpaid caregivers are often the main source of long-term care services for ageing, sick and disabled adults. Their time provides an important service to recipients while offsetting substantial costs to health care systems. It is unclear how those who provide unpaid care to adults will handle competing demands of labour market participation and caregiving - a combination which involves trade-offs that can be stressful for the caregiver. This chapter discusses the advantages and limitations of time use data for understanding unpaid caregiving to adults. We argue... (More)
- opulation ageing is increasing the demand for long-term care services across high-income countries, a trend which will continue as populations over 80 years old increase in size. Unpaid caregivers are often the main source of long-term care services for ageing, sick and disabled adults. Their time provides an important service to recipients while offsetting substantial costs to health care systems. It is unclear how those who provide unpaid care to adults will handle competing demands of labour market participation and caregiving - a combination which involves trade-offs that can be stressful for the caregiver. This chapter discusses the advantages and limitations of time use data for understanding unpaid caregiving to adults. We argue that these data are crucial for informing policy and planning. However, future collection of time use information requires refinement and harmonization and should be collected regularly across countries with ageing populations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/d9a1f0c3-077f-4a59-b7d0-a867db3e6c6d
- author
- Stanfors, Maria LU and Urwin, Sean
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-05-15
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- host publication
- The Routledge International Handbook of Time Use Themes and Applications : Time Use Research - Time Use Research
- editor
- Bittman, Michael and Sullivan, Oriel
- volume
- 2
- pages
- 186 - 199
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105036937582
- ISBN
- 9781041123972
- 9781041123972
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003664543-20
- project
- Gender and care responsibilities over the life course: a comparative perspective
- Caregiving responsibilities across the life course: a comparative perspective on gender, time use and health
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- d9a1f0c3-077f-4a59-b7d0-a867db3e6c6d
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-29 13:44:03
- date last changed
- 2026-06-23 11:57:22
@inbook{d9a1f0c3-077f-4a59-b7d0-a867db3e6c6d,
abstract = {{opulation ageing is increasing the demand for long-term care services across high-income countries, a trend which will continue as populations over 80 years old increase in size. Unpaid caregivers are often the main source of long-term care services for ageing, sick and disabled adults. Their time provides an important service to recipients while offsetting substantial costs to health care systems. It is unclear how those who provide unpaid care to adults will handle competing demands of labour market participation and caregiving - a combination which involves trade-offs that can be stressful for the caregiver. This chapter discusses the advantages and limitations of time use data for understanding unpaid caregiving to adults. We argue that these data are crucial for informing policy and planning. However, future collection of time use information requires refinement and harmonization and should be collected regularly across countries with ageing populations.}},
author = {{Stanfors, Maria and Urwin, Sean}},
booktitle = {{The Routledge International Handbook of Time Use Themes and Applications : Time Use Research}},
editor = {{Bittman, Michael and Sullivan, Oriel}},
isbn = {{9781041123972}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{05}},
pages = {{186--199}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
title = {{Unpaid caregiving to adults: the importance and challenges of using time use data}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003664543-20}},
doi = {{10.4324/9781003664543-20}},
volume = {{2}},
year = {{2026}},
}