Many carers in their fifties

More than 600 thousand people aged 25–64 years in the Netherlands acted as carers in 2005. Most of them cared for a parent. The largest group of carers in relative terms is aged over 50 years.

Mainly care for parents

The more than 600 thousand carers accounted for nearly 7 percent of the population aged 25–64 years. They comprised twice as many women as men.
Nearly six out of ten carers took care of a seriously ill or invalid parent, less than half cared for one or more other relatives or friends.
Two out of ten carers, a total of 130 thousand, also had young children at home.

Carers by sex, 2005

Relatively many carers aged 50–54 years

The percentage of carers increases with age and is highest (12 percent) in the age group 50–54 years. For all age groups the largest percentage of people cared for were parents. From the age of 55 years this was less often the case. The reason for this is that parents are more likely to have died or have moved to a home for the elderly. Men and women aged 55 years and older did care for other relatives or friends relatively often.

Carers by age, 2005

Less work, more care

People who are not active on the labour market are slightly more likely to provide care than those who are not. A possible reason for this is that people who do not work or are not looking for work have more free time and therefore more time to spend on caring. One in three of these people spent more than 12 hours a week on caring for others.

Weekly hours of care by labour market position and sex, 2005 

Martijn Souren