The Fact
BLS data show that labor-force participation among women age 55–64 rose from 41.3% in 1980 to 60.4% in 2024.
What This Means
Older adults are often part of the family’s backup system for childcare, eldercare, transportation, meals, and emergencies. As more people in this age group remain in paid employment, fewer hours are potentially available for that unpaid family support. The care needs do not disappear; another person must absorb them, the family must buy help, or schedules have to bend around them.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Labor Force Participation Rate – 55–64 Yrs., Women (LNS11324232). Accessed October 2, 2026. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNS11324232