HEALTH, WEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS SPOTLIGHT ON OLDER WOMEN PROF RHEMA VAITHIANATHAN - CREA

HEALTH, WEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS SPOTLIGHT ON OLDER WOMEN PROF RHEMA VAITHIANATHAN - CREA

WHAT IS THE SINGAPORE LIFE PANEL? Average 8,000 monthly responses by Singaporeans aged 50 to 70 80% online 20% phone or in-person assistance Monthly survey of 100 questions More than 24 waves completed More than 200,000 personwave observations Across more than 700 unique variables

WHAT DOES OUR DATA TELL US ABOUT WOMEN AND AGEING? 1. In their health 2. In their work 3. In their wealth & retirement 3

WOMEN HAVE HIGHER RATES OF ARTHRITIS AND CANCER THAN MEN Percentage of Men who have Experienced a Chronic Condition by July 2015 by April 2017 never Percentage of Women who have Experienced a Chronic Condition by July 2015 by April 2017 never Hypertension Hypertension Diabetes Heart Problems Arthritis Diabetes Heart Problems Arthritis Stroke Stroke Cancer Psychiatric Problems Cancer Psychiatric Problems 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

POOR HEALTH OF MEN DRIVES THEIR WIVES INTO WORK Our research team looked at the reasons why older women work They found that when husbands had a health scare like a heart attack or cancer the women went back to work! This is because the men had to take time off work (up to 7 months after the health scare men were still working less) So when men fall ill, women are having to take care of them AND work 5

LARGE INCREASE IN LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION IN RECENT YEARS ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN 100.0 Male Labor Force Participation 100.0 Female Labor Force Participation 80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 50-54 Years 55-59 Years 60-64 Years 65-69 Years Especially for males in their 60s 2010 2012 2014 2016 80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 50-54 Years 55-59 Years 60-64 Years 65-69 Years

EXPECTATION OF FUTURE WORK Will recent increases in fraction working at older ages continue? We can answer this by studying the expectations of younger generations We ask respondents their subjective probability of working past age 62: Now, please think about work in general and not just your present job. On a scale from 0% to 100%, what do you think are the chances that you will be working full-time after you reach age 62? Also asked about other target ages: 65 and 70 7

2017 ACTUAL VS. EXPECTED: PERCENT WORKING FULL-TIME (WOMEN) 50.0 Females, SLP 2017 40.0 30.0 32.2 20.0 17.5 10.0 0.0 7.0 Age 62 Age 65 Age 70 Realizations: Percent working full-time past age [x] Expectations: Probability at age 55-59

2017 ACTUAL VS. EXPECTED: PERCENT WORKING FULL-TIME (WOMEN) Females, SLP 2017 50.0 40.0 30.0 32.2 40.2 30.6 Substantial increases expected at all three ages. 20.0 17.5 19.1 10.0 7.0 0.0 Age 62 Age 65 Age 70 Realizations: Percent working full-time past age [x] Expectations: Probability at age 55-59

HOW WELL PREPARED DO WOMEN FEEL? We ask respondents Considering all your financial and other assets, including your CPF account, how would you rate your financial preparation for retirement? Women feel financially less well-prepared for their retirement than men (in all age groups) Among the 50-59 age group, we find that single women feel less well-prepared than married women 1 in 3 single women aged 50-59 think they will end up in a nursing home But only 1 in 4 married women think they will end up in nursing homes 10

HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE FINDINGS Improving education will be key for future generations of women Men s health is a woman s problem! When men have major health reversals, women tend to go and earn to supplement family income what help do they get to do this? Income differences between men and women are important to address because this reduces female s ability to be prepared retirement How are employers getting ready for increased older females? Single women feel more exposed what is being done to help them when they get older? 11