A recent study by the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College shows that parents caring for their elderly family members are at a higher risk of losing their jobs compared to those that are caring for children.

The underlining reason, according to study principal Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, is that the current workforce scheduling is molded around the needs women in the workforce with young children. These needs are predictable and change with the age of the child, however the needs of aging parents are much more unpredictable.

In the study, it is suggested that family caregivers seek a support group of others going through similar situations and find respite care services that are able to fill the gaps from their day job.