Abstract
Providing care in older age to family members and friends is common but this could impact the carers’ time and energy for social participation. This study explores the relationship between care and social participation in 16 European countries, considering factors like care intensity, relationship to the care recipient, gender, and socioeconomic status. The study utilised pooled data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Multiple regression models assessed the association between care status (non-carer, carer, and former carer) and social participation measured through volunteering frequency and group membership. The models adjusted for various demographic and socioeconomic covariates. The study found that carers, especially those doing so less intensely, were more likely to volunteer and belong to groups compared to non-carers. The association between care and volunteering was stronger for carers in low support countries. The association between care and group membership was found to be stronger for carers in the highest wealth quintiles, as well as for female carers in low support countries and for male carers in low and medium support counties. The study suggests that caring is not necessarily associated with negative outcomes such as lower social participation but underscores the impact of care strain and burden resulting from high intensity of care as risk factors for reduced social participation. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of considering the individual and contextual socioeconomic resources in understanding carers' social participation outcomes.