Concerns grow over unequal distribution and rising depression and loneliness among caregivers.
The intensity of carework, mostly carried out by women in Chile, increased by an average of half an hour per day compared to 2023, according to a study by the Millennium Institute for Care Research MICARE.
The findings are based on data from over a thousand caregivers collected as part of a longitudinal study conducted in the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, BíoBío y la Región Metropolitana. The study focuses on people who provide care at home, both for older adults in situations of dependency and for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The “MICARE Study: Caregivers and Care Work” in Chile is the largest of its kind and the only one entirely focused on caregivers. It began in 2023 with surveys of around 3,000 people, and its second phase takes a deeper look at the situation of those who care for others in their homes.
The analysis confirms the trend that informal care in Chile is primarily performed by women. They represent 77% of those who care for older adults in situations of dependency and 92% of those who support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most are mothers, daughters, or wives, who dedicate an average of 15.4 hours per day to care work, an increase from the 14.9 hours recorded in 2023.
“The feminization of care continues to be a structural reality. Women not only take on most of the caregiving responsibilities, but they do so with growing intensity”, says Beatriz Fernández, a professor at the Institute of Sociology at Pontificia Universidad Católica and director of the study.
A complex reality
Another concerning finding of the study was the increase in moderate depressive symptoms among caregivers of older adults, with a rise of 5,2 percentage points. The research also detected an increase in the perception of loneliness among both groups of caregivers.
“Although many caregivers value their role and feel useful, this does not protect them from emotional strain. We’re seeing a rise in depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness, which must be urgently addressed” warns Fernández.
The analysis also explores, for the first time, the experiences of those who are no longer caregiving. Of the 180 people in this situation, 45% stopped due to the death of the person they were caring for, while 21% did so due to a redistribution of responsibilities. Among those who stopped caregiving, 46% reported feeling more satisfied with their spare time, though a similar percentage said they would take on the caregiving role again “without hesitation”, while 24% would rather not return to it.
“There’s a significant gap in the support available to those who stop caregiving. These people go through processes of grief, routine reconfiguration, and often identity shifts. It’s a critical moment that deserves greater attention”, says the study director.
The findings from the second phase of the MICARE study highlight the urgency to strengthen support networks for informal caregivers and move forward with toward greater social co-responsibility for care.
“This study aims to shed light on the multiple dimensions of care. The challenge is to build policies that recognize this complexity and offer concrete support to those who are currently caregiving, have cared or will care in the future”, concludes Beatriz Fernández.