Unseen Costs: How Providing Eldercare Impacts Work and Economic Security.

This study investigates how unpaid eldercare impacts caregivers' work and financial security, highlighting that women and caregivers of color disproportionately bear these responsibilities. We find that in addition to shifting the costs to informal caregivers, this systemic reliance also excludes some individuals from necessary support. Using Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and linked American Time Use Survey (ATUS)-Current Population Survey (CPS) data, we analyze who needs, receives, or pays for eldercare, and how caregiving frequency affects employment. We find daily caregiving significantly reduces workforce participation by nearly 2 percentage points, worsening economic disparities for already vulnerable groups.