Eldercare and Work Among Informal Caregivers: A Multidisciplinary Review and Recommendations for Future Research

Although research on eldercare and work has burgeoned in recent years, current literature is lacking an integrative model or framework to summarize existing findings and guide future research. The purpose of this article is to synthesize prior empirical research regarding eldercare among informal caregivers who must balance care with employment. We propose a conceptual model to serve as an organizing framework to understand eldercare and work. More specifically, our model includes predictors and outcomes that are grouped in terms of individual, family, caregiver relationships, work, and societal factors related to elder caregiving and work. We highlight and discuss key factors that mediate and moderate the relations between eldercare and its associated outcomes at multiple levels, including employees, their families, organizations for which caregivers work, and society as a whole. Finally, we provide methodological and substantive recommendations to guide future research.