TUG OF WAR: CARING FOR OUR ELDERS WHILE REMAINING PRODUCTIVE AT WORK

As countries around the world experience the graying of their populations, longer life expectancies mean greater possibility of illness and incapacitation. At the same time, demographic trends are altering the traditional arrangements for eldercare. Given that a high percentage of caregivers are employed outside the home, the tension between employment and caregiving responsibilities is likely to increase. However, the relationship between eldercare responsibilities and work outcomes is understudied, especially in the management literature, and the results are inconclusive. This article analyzes 31 empirical studies on the relationship between eldercare and work published in peer-reviewed academic journals since 1995. Although methodological limitations exist in the current literature, a number of noteworthy advances have been identified that have implications for future research directions and the ways in which organizations respond to the eldercare needs of their employees.