S. Korean seniors shoulder double burden of caring for children, parents
SEOUL, (MILLAT ONLINE):More than one third of South Korean people in their 50s and 60s are burdened with the responsibilities of caring for their children and parents at the same time, a report showed Tuesday.
According to the report published by the private Mirae Asset Retirement Institute, 34.5 percent of 2,001 people aged 50 through 69 said they are engaging in so-called “double care.”
These people are responsible for not only taking care of their grown-up children and at least one elderly parent at the same time. Support given can be in the form of financial assistance and nursing and taking care of their parents.
The findings come as Asia’s fourth-largest economy copes with rapid population aging at a time of low birth rate, high youth unemployment and an inadequate social security net.
Some 27.8 percent of respondents said they are looking after their parents in some way, while 18.7 percent said they only support their grown kids.
“The structural changes, like people generally living longer compared to the past, and low economic growth have put certain individuals into a corner,” the report said. “We have to find ways to relieve the burdens for these people.”