Aging women under pressure in Italian families

Abstract

At the intersection of demographic and cultural shifts as well as changes in the Italian welfare state, Italian women now entering old age face unforeseen demands and difficulties. A higher percentage of this generation is remaining in the labor force than previous generations. Changes in the pension system have disproportionately affected female workers, forcing them to continue wage-earning employment than earlier generations. At the same time, given the scarcity of care services, they are under the dual pressure of care demands from above (their own parents or parents-in-law, their spouses) and from below. This article draws on quantitative empirical and institutional data and adopts a socio-demographic perspective towards these issues.