ABSTRACT
Changing economic, social and demographic trends across Europe are significantly influencing the traditional roles women play in relation to the home and the labour market. In northern European countries the demographic shift over the last thirty years with increasing numbers of older people, particularly those over the age of 75 (see Chapter 1), together with the restructuring of many welfare states resulting in a slow-down in the expansion of services, has led to a continuing reliance on the family, particularly middle-aged and older women, as well as increasing numbers of older men to provide care. At the same time labour market changes are pulling women in the opposite direction-toward paid employment. Consequently women face pressures from home and at work as they balance the two roles as carers and employees. Although this is not a new phenomenon for families the issue has grown in importance over the last ten years and is increasingly becoming a concern for all European states as well as employers. In southern European states, where familistic models of care predominate, similar issues are slowly emerging. This chapter outlines these trends, describes the pressures such women face in the workplace, considers work-based options to support them and discusses where responsibility lies to assist working women.
