State Policies and Leisure Time Use Among Family Caregivers of Older Adults

• In Event: 50261 - Family Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 7: Family Care Policy

Abstract

This study examines the impact of state-level caregiving policies on the time use of family caregivers of older adults in the United States. Using data from the American Time Use Survey and a novel dataset on state caregiving policies, I employ multilevel (individual/state) models to analyze caregivers’ engagement in leisure activities, time with friends, and volunteering—key factors linked to caregiver well-being. This research uniquely explores how residing in a state with or without pro-caregiver policies influences these forms of time use and how effects vary by labor force status, education, and income. The six policies examined include the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, caregiver tax credits, unemployment benefits for those leaving work due to caregiving, mandatory paid leave, respite services, and direct caregiver payments. Findings reveal highly heterogeneous policy effects by class and employment status. Notably, mandatory leave policies are associated with increased leisure and friend time for economically privileged working caregivers but not for their less advantaged counterparts. Conversely, respite services are linked to greater leisure time for lower-income working caregivers and all caregivers outside the labor force. Next steps include further subgroup analyses and structural equation modeling to explore relationships between different time use outcomes. This study contributes to caregiving scholarship while offering policymakers critical insights into the varied effects of caregiving policies.

Author

• Noah Samuel Weston DiAntonio, University of Texas at Austin