GERONTOLOGY

Gerontology: The Impacts on the Aging Grandparent Raising Grandchildren

Gerontology: The Impacts on the Aging Grandparent Raising Grandchildren

Introduction

Several studies have explored the emotional and physical health states of grandparents raising grandchildren. A body of empirical literature is emerging that suggests that grandparents raising grandchildren, regardless of racial status, are negatively affected by their caregiving responsibilities in several areas, including psychological stress, social and economic well-being, and physical health. According to these studies, grandparents have reported increased anxiety and depression since assuming primary parenting roles; others report an increase in smoking and alcohol consumption and an exacerbation of pre-existing physical illnesses such as arthritis and angina (Blustein et al, 2004).

The role shift of grandparents from “weekend helpers” to custodial adults in grandchildren's lives often raises some level of social discomfort among those involved. The imbedded silent assumption that something “went wrong” with the children's biological parents probably explains a great deal of this feeling.

Methods

This literature review included academic and non-academic sources. The search methodology used for each area and the materials obtained are described below.

Two datasets were considered: Med Line and PsychoInfo. Search was performed by using the keywords “grandparents” and “grandchildren” separately, from publications dated 2000 or later. A total of 34 articles were considered relevant for the review, out of 931 listed. Some books chapters were also selected as relevant and some older papers were added to the list, due to their constant reference in the articles selected.

Grandparents caring for grandchildren: a plural and dynamic situation

Fuller-Thomson and Minkler (2001) conducted a study comparing the prevalence and profile of five different patterns of grandchildren-grandparent contact:

primary caregivers (custodial grandparents);

non-custodial extensive child care providers;

intermediate caregivers (10-29 hours/week);

occasional caregivers (< 10 hours a week) and

Non-caregivers.

Goodman and Silverstein (2002) focussed only on grandmothers extensively involved on their grandchildren's care. They divided their subjects between two groups: co-parenting and custodial. As they compared factors associated with these situations, they found that custodial grand parenting was usually assumed under disruptive circumstances, often the consequence of serious problems experienced by parents and it was typically an unanticipated, involuntary and indefinite situation. In contrast, co-parenting arrangements happened when grandparents housed both grandchildren and their parent(s) and became partners in childrearing, a classic but not exclusive solution in case of very young mothers.

The physical, mental and social health of custodial grandparents

Research has consistently pointed out that custodial grandparents present high rates of depression, poor self-rated health and/or frequent presence of multiple chronic health problems such as hypertension and diabetes.

Custodial grandparents also report higher level of distress, emotional problems, clinical depression, insomnia and less health-services seeking behavior than grandparents in more traditional roles.

The reasons for these poor health indicators are not fully understood. However, several authors have documented the presence of several risk factors for the problems described above among custodial grandparents.

One of these risk factors is social isolation, known by its association with several mental disorders and physical illnesses. Intergenerational households headed by grandparents may experience social isolation due to the stigma attached to ...