Essity Hygiene and Health Report – One key societal concern in the care industry is that work often goes unappreciated and devalued. Nonetheless, these intangible contributions constitute the foundation of our communities and economies.
Making invisible work visible and recognized is critical to promoting fairness in health and well-being for individuals and society. This includes promoting techniques that recognize, empower, and value those who provide care – both professionally and within a family, and in a wide range of caregiving positions. In addition to caregivers, it includes acknowledging the value of cleaning workers and facilities managers’ job and providing access to creative solutions that boost these professions. We appreciate the enormous work and talent required to fulfill the often-hidden responsibilities within the care economy by bringing them to light. By doing so, we can build a more inclusive and resilient society that values the wide breadth of work done in the care sector.Valuing and recognizing care, extending care infrastructure with innovative and value-creating solutions, and rebalancing care work obligations all contribute to economic growth and, by extension, SDG 8: Decent employment. Women are overrepresented in care-giving roles, which is a common feature of all sorts of care jobs.
SDG 8: Good jobs and economic growth. Recognizing and valuing care as an important economic sector, increasing care infrastructure, and rebalancing paid and unpaid work obligations can all contribute to economic growth and hence SDG 8.
Family caregivers play an important role in the health-care system. They frequently have to balance or choose between caring responsibilities and other obligations, most notably their paid occupations. While the frequency and intensity of caregivers’ obligations vary, support is frequently insufficient or non-existent. A separate trend of “refamiliarization” of the care economy is occurring, in which the obligation of care expected from family members grows. This is due in part to a rise in the number of comorbidities as we live longer lives, as well as an increase in the requirement for home care. During the Covid-19 outbreak, re-familiarization accelerated as overburdened healthcare services raised the demand for informal treatment. There are now fears that this rise has become mainstream.
Essity Hygiene and Health Report
Caring for one’s loved ones typically brings delight and self-satisfaction, but it is also well established that the duty of caring for a relative affects a family caregiver’s physical and mental health.4
Working family caregivers frequently face stress and shame as a result of having to leave their careers, even if only briefly, to care for relatives. Many family caregivers accept occupations that require less education or experience in order to work fewer or more flexible hours. Family caregivers are more likely to leave their professions in the waged economy. It is generally difficult to re-enter the labor market after the need for caregiving has passed.27 A vast number of occupations in the paid care economy are deemed low status, with poor pay and benefits.Caring for one’s loved ones typically brings delight and self-satisfaction, but it is also well established that the duty of caring for a relative affects a family caregiver’s physical and mental health.4
Working family caregivers frequently face stress and shame as a result of having to leave their careers, even if only briefly, to care for relatives. Many family caregivers accept occupations that require less education or experience in order to work fewer or more flexible hours. Family caregivers are more likely to leave their professions in the waged economy. It is generally difficult to re-enter the labor market after the need for caregiving has passed.27 A vast number of occupations in the paid care economy are deemed low status, with poor pay and benefits.
