Informal Care among Men and Women Aged 50 + in 25 European Countries: Gender Differences and Reciprocity

Abstract Informal care plays an important role in later life and may take different forms across age groups. We focus on men and women aged 50 + in 25 European countries and use data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 9 to explore how they provide informal care. We investigate the gender distinctions and similarities, particularly with regard to age differences and the role of reciprocity. The theoretical starting point is the consideration that later life may involve shifts in gender roles; while this perspective implies a growing importance of caring roles, our findings reveal a decline in care provision with increasing age. The data show that men declare care provision to a similar extent as women, but it is less frequent. With respect to the age differences and care provision attrition, we find similarities rather than distinctions between the sexes. This suggests that men are extensively involved in informal care networks, but with lower frequency and higher reciprocity, which emphasises care provision as a chosen and negotiated practice. Understanding these patterns may inform policies aimed at balancing gender participation in caregiving in later life.