The median length of stay at a job for women is 3.8 years versus 5.1 years for men. As a result, less than one-third of women working in the private sector qualified for retirement benefits in 1998. Those women that do participate contribute a lower percentage of pay to these plans and are more likely to withdraw money prior to retirement. One-third of women who become widowed are younger than 60, half are younger than 63. It takes five extra years to make up retirement benefits lost for every one year spent out of the workforce.
Most elder care is provided informally by family members at home.