Work-life balance of older informal carers

Work and caring for an elderly relative in the daily lives of people over 50

Väestöliitto, the Family Federation of Finland,  is coordinating a research and development project funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund. The project will run until the end of 2026.

The following organizations are involved in the project:

• DNA
• Kela, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland
• the City of Kemi
• the Service Union United (PAM)

During the project in the workplaces, especially with regard to shift work:

• solutions are being sought to take into account employees’ responsibility for the care and support of an elderly close relative or another loved one;
• workplace-specific guidelines related to caregiving are being updated with the aim of strengthening gender equality and equality within the work community;
• efforts are being made to dismantle gender-related stereotypes that reinforce the traditional division of caregiving responsibilities for older people.

Project partners

• Bondata Research Oy
• Carers Finland
• Demos Helsinki
• Repo Work (Foxie)

Research collaboration
The Population Research Institute, Kela Research, the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), and Work Research Centre (WRC) at Tampere Universities.

Represented on the project steering group
DNA, Kela, the City of Kemi, the Service Union United (PAM), Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL), Keva (the public sector pension provider in Finland), Local Government and County Employers (KT), Carers Finland, Tampere University, and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Outputs and Results

As outputs of the Ruuhkavuodet 2 project (Work-life balance of older informal carers), workplaces will receive development ideas and summary reports. Internal communication and supervisors’ competence (knowledge, attitudes, and solution models) related to situations involving the care and support of an elderly relative will be strengthened in workplaces.

Based on the project materials, scientific publications and articles, theses, and an information packages for supervisors and HR will be produced. In addition, a section on the project theme will be included in the 2026 Family Barometer conducted by the Population Research Institute (Väestöliitto). The project’s final report will be e-published after the project.

More information

Anna Kokko, Project Leader, WLB Specialist
The Family Federation of Finland – Väestöliitto
+358 50 3420572, anna.kokko@vaestoliitto.fi