International Women’s Day: Gender Equality in Caregiving

International Women's Day 2025 is around the corner, and this year's theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," calls for action to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all. As we celebrate the achievements of women worldwide, it's crucial to address the persistent gender disparities in caregiving roles.

The Caregiving Gender Gap

Women continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities: Wells Fargo’s 2024 report found that 59% of unpaid caregivers for the elderly are women, with those aged 55 and older accounting for 30% of this group (1). This disparity becomes even more pronounced along socioeconomic lines, with families earning below $100,000 showing wider gender gaps in care distribution (2).

The caregiving burden is particularly heavy for women of color. Black and Hispanic women are more involved in unpaid caregiving compared to other ethnic and racial groups and their male counterparts (2). This trend reflects deeply ingrained societal norms and expectations that often view caregiving as "women's work."

This gender imbalance has far-reaching implications for women's economic and personal well-being:

Workforce Participation: Many women reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely to care for elderly family members. In 2023, nearly 2 million women aged 55 and older were out of the workforce due to family obligations.
Financial Security: Stepping back from work to provide care directly impacts earnings, potentially exacerbating the gender pay gap.
Career Advancement: The time and energy devoted to caregiving can hinder women's professional growth and opportunities.

The Caregiving Workforce

The professional caregiving sector is predominantly female, reflecting broader societal expectations about caregiving roles:

Gender Composition: 82% of health and personal aides are women.
Growing Demand: Across OECD countries, the number of elder care workers will need to increase by 60% by 2040 to maintain the current ratio of caregivers to older people(3).
Workforce Challenges: The United States is projected to have a national shortage of 355,000 caregivers by 2040.

Impact on Women's Lives

The unequal distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities affects women in several ways:

Physical and Mental Health: Women caregivers are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to non-caregivers, according to a 2024 study in the Journal of Gerontology (4).
Retirement Savings: On average, women caregivers have 30% less in retirement savings than non-caregivers, based on a 2025 analysis by the National Women's Law Center.
Work-Life Balance: 61% of women caregivers report difficulty balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, compared to 54% of men, according to a 2024 Gallup poll.

Addressing the Gender Imbalance

To achieve gender equality in senior caregiving, several steps are necessary:

Policy Changes: Implement gender-responsive long-term care policies that engage women's rights organizations in their formulation.
Professionalization: Elevate caregiving as a career of choice with high standards for worker training and care delivery.
Workplace Support: Employers should offer flexible work arrangements and caregiver support programs to help employees balance work and caregiving duties.
Improved Working Conditions: Enhance pay, benefits, and working conditions in the professional caregiving sector to attract and retain workers of all genders.
Research and Data Collection: Increase funding for research on the economic impact of caregiving on women's careers and financial security, and improve data collection on unpaid caregiving to inform policy decisions.

By addressing these issues, we can work towards a more equitable distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities and create a more sustainable and diverse caregiving workforce. This approach not only promotes gender equality but also ensures better care for our aging population as we move towards the projected demographic shift where one in five adults will be 65 or older by 2040.

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2025, let's commit to recognizing and valuing the critical role of caregivers in our society and work towards achieving true gender equality in this essential sector.

At Clara, we aim to make caregiving into a more sustainable career by providing our caregivers with high-quality patient-provider matches (which we believe is the foundation of a great caregiving relationship) and better pay. Clara only charges a small fee each time we run payroll, meaning lower costs for families and better pay for caregivers.

Interested in learning more about Clara? Head to our "About" page, learn how Clara works, or chat with a Clara care consultant today.

Sources

International Women's Day 2025 is around the corner, and this year's theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," calls for action to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all. As we celebrate the achievements of women worldwide, it's crucial to address the persistent gender disparities in caregiving roles.

The Caregiving Gender Gap

Women continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities: Wells Fargo’s 2024 report found that 59% of unpaid caregivers for the elderly are women, with those aged 55 and older accounting for 30% of this group (1). This disparity becomes even more pronounced along socioeconomic lines, with families earning below $100,000 showing wider gender gaps in care distribution (2).

The caregiving burden is particularly heavy for women of color. Black and Hispanic women are more involved in unpaid caregiving compared to other ethnic and racial groups and their male counterparts (2). This trend reflects deeply ingrained societal norms and expectations that often view caregiving as "women's work."

This gender imbalance has far-reaching implications for women's economic and personal well-being:

Workforce Participation: Many women reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely to care for elderly family members. In 2023, nearly 2 million women aged 55 and older were out of the workforce due to family obligations.
Financial Security: Stepping back from work to provide care directly impacts earnings, potentially exacerbating the gender pay gap.
Career Advancement: The time and energy devoted to caregiving can hinder women's professional growth and opportunities.

The Caregiving Workforce

The professional caregiving sector is predominantly female, reflecting broader societal expectations about caregiving roles:

Gender Composition: 82% of health and personal aides are women.
Growing Demand: Across OECD countries, the number of elder care workers will need to increase by 60% by 2040 to maintain the current ratio of caregivers to older people(3).
Workforce Challenges: The United States is projected to have a national shortage of 355,000 caregivers by 2040.

Impact on Women's Lives

The unequal distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities affects women in several ways:

Physical and Mental Health: Women caregivers are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to non-caregivers, according to a 2024 study in the Journal of Gerontology (4).
Retirement Savings: On average, women caregivers have 30% less in retirement savings than non-caregivers, based on a 2025 analysis by the National Women's Law Center.
Work-Life Balance: 61% of women caregivers report difficulty balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, compared to 54% of men, according to a 2024 Gallup poll.

Addressing the Gender Imbalance

To achieve gender equality in senior caregiving, several steps are necessary:

Policy Changes: Implement gender-responsive long-term care policies that engage women's rights organizations in their formulation.
Professionalization: Elevate caregiving as a career of choice with high standards for worker training and care delivery.
Workplace Support: Employers should offer flexible work arrangements and caregiver support programs to help employees balance work and caregiving duties.
Improved Working Conditions: Enhance pay, benefits, and working conditions in the professional caregiving sector to attract and retain workers of all genders.
Research and Data Collection: Increase funding for research on the economic impact of caregiving on women's careers and financial security, and improve data collection on unpaid caregiving to inform policy decisions.

By addressing these issues, we can work towards a more equitable distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities and create a more sustainable and diverse caregiving workforce. This approach not only promotes gender equality but also ensures better care for our aging population as we move towards the projected demographic shift where one in five adults will be 65 or older by 2040.

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2025, let's commit to recognizing and valuing the critical role of caregivers in our society and work towards achieving true gender equality in this essential sector.

At Clara, we aim to make caregiving into a more sustainable career by providing our caregivers with high-quality patient-provider matches (which we believe is the foundation of a great caregiving relationship) and better pay. Clara only charges a small fee each time we run payroll, meaning lower costs for families and better pay for caregivers.

Interested in learning more about Clara? Head to our "About" page, learn how Clara works, or chat with a Clara care consultant today.

Sources

International Women's Day 2025 is around the corner, and this year's theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," calls for action to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all. As we celebrate the achievements of women worldwide, it's crucial to address the persistent gender disparities in caregiving roles.

The Caregiving Gender Gap

Women continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving responsibilities: Wells Fargo’s 2024 report found that 59% of unpaid caregivers for the elderly are women, with those aged 55 and older accounting for 30% of this group (1). This disparity becomes even more pronounced along socioeconomic lines, with families earning below $100,000 showing wider gender gaps in care distribution (2).

The caregiving burden is particularly heavy for women of color. Black and Hispanic women are more involved in unpaid caregiving compared to other ethnic and racial groups and their male counterparts (2). This trend reflects deeply ingrained societal norms and expectations that often view caregiving as "women's work."

This gender imbalance has far-reaching implications for women's economic and personal well-being:

Workforce Participation: Many women reduce work hours or leave the workforce entirely to care for elderly family members. In 2023, nearly 2 million women aged 55 and older were out of the workforce due to family obligations.
Financial Security: Stepping back from work to provide care directly impacts earnings, potentially exacerbating the gender pay gap.
Career Advancement: The time and energy devoted to caregiving can hinder women's professional growth and opportunities.

The Caregiving Workforce

The professional caregiving sector is predominantly female, reflecting broader societal expectations about caregiving roles:

Gender Composition: 82% of health and personal aides are women.
Growing Demand: Across OECD countries, the number of elder care workers will need to increase by 60% by 2040 to maintain the current ratio of caregivers to older people(3).
Workforce Challenges: The United States is projected to have a national shortage of 355,000 caregivers by 2040.

Impact on Women's Lives

The unequal distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities affects women in several ways:

Physical and Mental Health: Women caregivers are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to non-caregivers, according to a 2024 study in the Journal of Gerontology (4).
Retirement Savings: On average, women caregivers have 30% less in retirement savings than non-caregivers, based on a 2025 analysis by the National Women's Law Center.
Work-Life Balance: 61% of women caregivers report difficulty balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, compared to 54% of men, according to a 2024 Gallup poll.

Addressing the Gender Imbalance

To achieve gender equality in senior caregiving, several steps are necessary:

Policy Changes: Implement gender-responsive long-term care policies that engage women's rights organizations in their formulation.
Professionalization: Elevate caregiving as a career of choice with high standards for worker training and care delivery.
Workplace Support: Employers should offer flexible work arrangements and caregiver support programs to help employees balance work and caregiving duties.
Improved Working Conditions: Enhance pay, benefits, and working conditions in the professional caregiving sector to attract and retain workers of all genders.
Research and Data Collection: Increase funding for research on the economic impact of caregiving on women's careers and financial security, and improve data collection on unpaid caregiving to inform policy decisions.

By addressing these issues, we can work towards a more equitable distribution of senior caregiving responsibilities and create a more sustainable and diverse caregiving workforce. This approach not only promotes gender equality but also ensures better care for our aging population as we move towards the projected demographic shift where one in five adults will be 65 or older by 2040.

As we celebrate International Women's Day 2025, let's commit to recognizing and valuing the critical role of caregivers in our society and work towards achieving true gender equality in this essential sector.

At Clara, we aim to make caregiving into a more sustainable career by providing our caregivers with high-quality patient-provider matches (which we believe is the foundation of a great caregiving relationship) and better pay. Clara only charges a small fee each time we run payroll, meaning lower costs for families and better pay for caregivers.

Interested in learning more about Clara? Head to our "About" page, learn how Clara works, or chat with a Clara care consultant today.