More than half of male baby boomers born in the late 1940s hope their wives will act as caregivers if required, according to a government survey.
In contrast, only a quarter of their female counterparts hope their husbands will act as caregivers, according to the Cabinet Office findings released Thursday.
The data will be included in the 2013 version of the government's white paper on the aging of society to be released in June, officials said. Covering men and women born between 1947 and 1949, the poll received around 3,500 valid responses.
Asked who they would rely on for care, 54.7 percent of the males picked their spouses, compared with just 26.6 percent of the females. Further, 43.2 percent of females favored professional caregivers, such as facilities for the aged, hospitals, home care workers and visiting nurses, compared with 25.5 percent of the men.