The sandwich generation in Brazil: demographic determinants and implications

Maria C. Tomas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais
Everton E. C. Lima, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)
Bernardo L. Queiroz, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)

This paper analyzes the demographic determinants and implications of the sandwich generation in Brazil. This generation is characterized by women who have small children and elderly parents alive and devote significant care time to both groups while still in the labor force. In the past few decades, Brazil is facing rapid fertility and mortality decline, but average fertility age has changed very little. The combination of those elements have impacts on to the economic life cycle and important socioeconomic consequences to women and families. More specifically, we investigate: 1) what is the probability of having a small child and a living parent? and 2) which is the average time women spends in the sandwich generation and how it has been changing over time? 3) What is the average age that children experience a grandparent death? We use Brazilian Census data from 1960 to 2010 and microsimulation, using Socsim, to study and analyze those questions.