Employed caregivers: A four-year follow-up

This article presents the results of a 4-year follow-up of employed persons who cared for frail parents. The study's purpose was to examine how managing the joint roles of work and caregiving changed over time. A total of 24 people still involved in full-time employment and caregiving were located. Attrition was high due to employee retirement, parental death and nonresponses. Findings from t tests of paired means revealed a significant decline in parents' level of functioning and significant changes in respondents' financial, social, and personal lives as well as in their job satisfaction. No significant changes were found in respondents' physical condition or in their work conditions. However, employed caregivers at time 2 were far more likely than those at time 1 to expect their workplaces to offer benefits and services that would make it easier for them to manage their joint roles. Implications of findings are discussed.