Who cares? Demography of the working-age population affected by parents with dementia

Abstract Background As the number of older individuals with dementia rises and public long-term care provision is retrenched, caregiving responsibilities increasingly fall on adult children. However, little is known about the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the working-age population affected, specifically their age, gender, socioeconomic status, and family circumstances. This study examines the characteristics of those with a parent diagnosed with dementia and identifies the demographic processes underlying these patterns. Methods We use linked register data on the total Finnish population aged 30-64 during 2015-2019, including biological and adoptive parental links. Parental dementia is identified from national hospital care, medication prescription, and cause of death registers. Incidence rate-based multistate models will estimate the probability of having a parent with dementia, the expected years of working life with a parent with dementia, and the median age at parental dementia onset, stratified by gender and education. Decomposition analysis will quantify the contribution of mortality, fertility, and dementia risk differences to observed disparities across gender and education groups. Results The data is in place and analysis is ongoing. Descriptively, those aged 55-59 and individuals with higher education are most likely to have a parent with dementia. Full results will be available for presentation at the European Public Health Conference 2025. Conclusions As caregiving needs rise, understanding who is affected is essential for designing equitable support systems and anticipating the labour market consequences. This study provides novel insights into the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population exposed to parental dementia and highlights emerging inequalities in who shoulders the burden of care. Key messages • This study identifies the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of working-age adults affected by parental dementia. • Decomposition analysis reveals the demographic processes driving disparities in exposure to parental dementia.