Grandchild Care Research Articles

Do Grandchildren Influence How Old You Feel?

Guided by the acknowledged importance of measures of aging alternative to chronological age, we explored the association between subjective age, on the one hand, and having grandchildren and provision of grandchild care, on the other, by gender and age groups. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N = 1,701 men and 2,395 women aged 50-85) and linear regression models were used to test two hypotheses. Grandparents feel older than their grandchildless counterparts at younger ages, but such association is reversed in later life if they look after their grandchildren. A cumulative negative association between subjective age and both having grandchildren and providing grandchild care holds for older women. This study extends prior research by examining age and gender differences in factors associated with subjective age. The findings suggest that grandparenthood is central in shaping the personal experience of aging. Future studies should address the causality of the factors analyzed.

The psychological well-being of grandparents who provide supplementary grandchild care: a systematic review

ABSTRACTThis systematic review examines theoretical and empirical research on the psychological well-being of grandparents who provide supplementary care for their grandchildren. The review included 15 articles that met inclusion criteria. Seven of these studies examined the association of the provision of supplementary grandchild care to grandparents’ psychological well-being, and the other eight studies analyzed the relations between specific characteristics of grandparents providing supplementary childcare and their own psychological well-being. The results suggested that the relationship between the provision of supplementary grandchild care and psychological well-being varies according to grandparents’ socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. race and co-residence with adult children), caregiving situations (e.g. types of care and activities with grandchildren), and indicators of social capital (e.g. familial relationships and social supports). This paper highlights the limitations of the theoretical frameworks that have been used to explain the relationship between the provision of supplementary grandchild care and grandparents’ psychological well-being in the studies that were reviewed, the strengths and limitations of related empirical research, and the lack of attention to diverse ethnic groups in reviewed studies. Suggestions for theory and future research are discussed based on these findings.

Patterns of productive activity engagement among older adults in urban China.

This study aims to identify patterns of productive activity engagement among older adults in urban China. Once patterns are identified, we further explore how a set of individual characteristics is associated with these patterns. Using data from the 2011 baseline survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we performed a latent class analysis (LCA) on a national representative sample of adults aged 60years and over (N=3019). A specified range of productive activity indicators that fit the context of urban China was used for performing LCA (including working, grandchildren's care, parental care, spousal care, informal helping, and formal volunteering). A multinomial logistic regression was used to assess whether individual characteristics are associated with the identified patterns. The results indicated that a four-class model fit the data well, with the interpretable set of classes: spouse carer (51.2%), working grandparents (21.7%), multifaceted contributor (16.6%), and light-engaged volunteer (10.5%). Age, gender, education, number of children, proximity with the nearest child, household composition and functional status contributed to differentiating these classes. This study captured the reality of productive engagement among older adults by drawing attention to how multiple productive activities intersect in later-life stages. Our findings have implications for policy-makers, health care practitioners, and community advocates to develop programs that facilitate this aging population in assuming meaningful productive activities.

A Study on the Relationship between Providing Care for Grandchildren and Subjective Perceptions of Aging among the Middle and Old Aged People： Comparisons between Female and Male

A Study on the Relationship between Providing Care for Grandchildren and Subjective Perceptions of Aging among the Middle and Old Aged People： Comparisons between Female and Male

Conflictos intergeneracionales en abuelas cuidadoras de una clínica de medicina familiar de la Ciudad de México

Objective: to analyze the characteristics of intergenerational conflicts with grandmothers who take care of their grandchildren. Methods: qualitative, cross-sectional and interpretative study. The semi-structured and in-depth interview technique was used in four families. Four grandmothers and four daughters with grandkids between 0 to 12 years of age were included. An interview guide for the analysis of the information was elaborated. The recordings were transcribed, texts were categorized and results were coordinated by dimensions. Results: in regard to authority, in three of four families both parents were who took the decisions of children care and in one family the grandmother had the complete authority. Two of the four families had flexible limits; daughters took the role of a housewife. The other two daughters who fulfilled the role of providers presented conflict with grandmothers, one with strict limits and the other with vague limits. Conclusions: it was confirmed that the support grandmothers as child care providers offered to their daughters and grandchildren can generate different risks of conflict in families, as it is required to implement limits, roles, hierarchy and/or authority, because the care of grandchildren carries great responsibilities in the decisionmaking process and in basic family functions.

Caregiver Stress and Related Factors in Korean Households Utilizing Childcare Support by Grandmothers

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare caregiver stress and the factors that affect both the grandmothers providing childcare support and the working mothers entrusting their children in Korea. Data were collected from 130 households in which grandmothers took care of grandchildren under the age of six. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t‐test and hierarchy multiple regression analysis. Grandmothers providing childcare were found to experience a relatively higher level of caregiver stress. There were significant differences between the grandmothers and working mothers in terms of caregiver stress and family relationship. Self‐rated health condition, age, the number of grandchildren in care, and the quality of relationships with adult children were found to be predictable variables to grandmothers’ caregiver stress, Factors contributing to working mothers’ caregiver stress were of based on the quality of relationships with the grandmothers and social support. Based on these results, I discuss practical implications to ease caregiver stress in family members in households providing childcare support by grandparents.

What Drives National Differences in Intensive Grandparental Childcare in Europe?

Objectives. Grandparents play an important role in looking after grandchildren, although intensive grandparental childcare varies considerably across Europe. Few studies have explicitly investigated the extent to which such cross-national variations are associated with national level differences in individual demographic and socio-economic distributions along with contextual-structural and cultural factors (e.g., variations in female labor force participation, childcare provision, and cultural attitudes). Methods. We used multilevel models to examine associations between intensive grandparental childcare and contextual-structural and cultural factors, after controlling for grandparent, parent, and child characteristics using nationally representative data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Results. Even controlling for cross-national differences in demographic and socio-economic distributions, contextual-structural factors play an important role in explaining grandparental childcare variations in Europe. In particular, higher levels of intensive grandparental childcare are found in countries with low labor force participation among younger and older women, and low formal childcare provision, where mothers in paid work largely rely on grandparental support on an almost daily basis. Discussion. Encouraging older women to remain in paid work is likely to have an impact on grandchild care which in turn may affect mothers’ employment, particularly in Southern European countries where there is little formal childcare.

The impact of caring for grandchildren on the health of grandparents in Europe: A lifecourse approach

Grandparents are becoming an increasingly important source of childcare. However, caring for grandchildren may have negative health consequences particularly for grandparents with intensive commitments such as those with primary care responsibilities. To date most studies on this issue are based on cross-sectional data and do not take earlier life circumstances into account. Thus, it is not known whether (or to what extent) the relationship between grandparental childcare and health is due to cumulative advantage or disadvantage throughout the lifecourse or to the impact of grandchild care per se.Employing data from waves 1–3 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe we investigated the longitudinal relationship between grandparental childcare (i.e. intensive and non-intensive) and health once cumulative histories of advantage or disadvantage are taken into account. We used latent class analysis to categorise respondents according to childhood socio-economic and health conditions drawing on life history information. Experiences in adulthood (e.g. periods of ill health) were also captured. We created a latent continuous physical health variable based on self- and observer-measured indicators. OLS regression was used to explore the association between physical health at wave 2 and grandparental childcare at baseline, controlling for conditions in childhood and adulthood, and for health and socio-economic characteristics.We found a positive longitudinal association between grandchild care and health even after earlier life health and socio-economic conditions were taken into account. However, this significant association was found only for grandmothers, and not grandfathers. Our results suggesting the health benefits of grandchild care are important given the widespread provision of grandparental childcare in Europe. However, further research on underlying mechanisms and causal pathways between grandchild care and grandparent health, as well as on gender differences in the pattern of association, is needed.

Regular provision of grandchild care and participation in social activities

Against the background of rapid population ageing, studying social participation in later life is of particular relevance within the framework of active ageing. Although caring for grandchildren has taken a central role for older persons due to unprecedented overlap between grandparents’ and their grandchildren’s lives, whether the relationship between grandparental childcare and social activities is characterised by cumulation or competition remains under-explored. Grandparental childcare may increase the purpose in life for grandparents, stimulating their social participation, or it may impose time and energy constraints on it. This study aims to assess the effect of providing grandchild care on participation in social activities for people aged 50–85 in Europe. Using an instrumental variable approach on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we find no significant negative effects of grandchild care on engagement in at least one social activity. However, regular provision of grandchild care has a significant negative effect on the number of activities in which grandmothers participate. When considering the activities separately by type we also find, for grandmothers only, a negative effect on volunteering, engagement in educational or training courses and participation in political or community-related organisation.

The maintaining and improving effect of grandchild care provision on elders’ mental health—Evidence from longitudinal study in Taiwan

ObjectiveThis study aims to determine the impact of grandchild care provision on elders’ mental health by self-comparison and longitudinal study design. MethodInformation of 2930 grandparents from the Study of Health and Living Status of the Middle-Aged and Elderly in Taiwan were analysed. Elders’ mental health was evaluated by Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale in both 2003 and 2007. Participants were divided into 4 groups based on their changing behaviour of caring for grandchildren from 2003 to 2007. Chi-square test was used to compare changes in elders’ individual characteristics and total CESD scores between and within groups. ANOVA was used to compare the means of elders’ depressive symptoms between groups while paired-t test was used to compare changes in elders’ depression symptoms from 2003 to 2007. Logistic regression was performed to determine the associations between elders' changing behaviour of caring for grandchildren and changes in depressive symptoms. ResultsElders continuously caring for grandchildren or started to take care of grandchildren significantly felt happier and enjoyed life more than before and more than elders who do not provide grandchild care. Logistic regression analyses exploring the impact of grandchild care provision found that elders provided no grandchild care had worst mental health amongst all. Elders stopped providing grandchild care had significantly higher risk of developing depressive symptoms (OR=1.40) than elders provided no grandchild care at all time. DiscussionBy self-comparison, this study illustrates how taking care of grandchildren maintains elders’ mental health, especially against them from loneliness and depression.

The Parent and Grandparent Roles from the Perspective of Contemporary Czech Grandparents

This paper is focused on differences in the roles of parent and grandparent from the perspective of individuals who have had experience with both roles. The work is based on a secondary analysis of eighteen semi-structured interviews with younger seniors. Using grounded theory, the authors identified two categories of fundamental differences between these roles. The first category describes differences between the value that respondents attributed to the time spent together with their grandchild or child. Respondents more enjoyed the time that they spent with their grandchild than with their child. The second category deals with the higher degree of fear associated with caring for grandchildren than taking care of their own child.

Development of the community child-rearing support scale: Measuring supportive behavior among older adults

Isolation and anxiety among child-rearing mothers in Japan are a current social problem. Involving diverse people in the community is recognized as an important factor in successful child rearing. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure supportive behavior for child rearing among older adults in the community and examine its reliability and validity. Items were selected to measure supportive behaviors for child rearing in the community in accordance with constructs introduced via literature reviews and a preliminary investigation. Participants were asked to evaluate the frequency of each behavior on a four-point scale in a mail-based survey. Of a random sample of 1,500 individuals aged 60-69, living in the Tokyo metropolitan area, 813 (54%) responded. Construct validity and reliability of the scale were examined by a confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's reliability coefficient. The validity was also examined by clarifying whether the assumed positive associations between the scale and the following variables were observed: frequency of contact with community residents; the generativity scale, which measured concern for the next generation; and experience of child rearing measured by number of own children and level of support for grandchildren. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed for the analysis of the results. The literature review and preliminary investigation revealed three constructs of supportive behaviors: "children's security and sound growth," "instrumental support to parents," and "emotional support to parents." A second-order factor analysis that modeled "child-rearing support in the community" as a higher-order factor above these three factors showed a good model fit when one item was deleted. The reliability coefficient was high enough (alpha=0.87) with the remaining seven items. As expected, the total score positively and significantly correlated with the frequency of contact with residents, especially with the younger generation, including children and their parents; generativity score; number of children; and care for grandchildren. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the measured child-rearing support in the community was largely explained by the frequency of contact with the younger generation. However, being female, taking care of grandchildren, and a higher generativity correlated with a higher child-rearing support score even after controlling for the frequency of contact. Reliability and validity of the community child-rearing support scale, consisting of seven items, were confirmed. Further studies are required to show applicability of the scale to diverse communities and age groups, and investigate the effects of the measured supportive behaviors on the child-rearing generation.

Grandparent Caregiving and Self-Rated Health among Rural Chinese Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Using Latent Difference Score Analysis

Background: Caregiving for grandchildren has effect on the physical health of older adults. Physical well-being may also affect the daily activities of grandparent caregivers. Therefore, there may be a reciprocal effect between grandparent caregiving and health. However, few studies have tested this dynamic relationship. This study examined how grandparent caregiving and self-rated health (SRH) changes over time among rural Chinese older adults and whether a reciprocal effect exists between them. Methods: Four waves of the longitudinal study of older adults in Anhui province of China were used for this study, featuring 1,696 older grandparents who completed at least the first wave in 2001 and were followed up or not in 2003, 2006, and 2009. Latent difference score analyses were applied using Mplus 5.1 and Amos 5. Results: Results show that both grandparent caregiving and SRH decreased significantly over time. Grandparent caregiving in a previous wave significantly predicted subsequent change in SRH, indicating that more grandparent caregiving resulted in a greater change in SRH. On the other hand, SRH had a significant effect on subsequent change in grandparent caregiving, showing that better SRH led to lesser changes in grandparent caregiving in later waves. SRH played a leading role in the prediction effect. Conclusions and implications: This study found a reciprocal effect between grandparent caregiving and SRH. This indicates that grandparent caregiving can be physically demanding and may lead to greater changes in SRH, whereas good SRH is a necessary precondition of caring for grandchildren. The study also found a leading predicting role of SRH, which suggests that SRH as a personal resource is extremely important because it partially determines whether and how intensely rural Chinese grandparents can care for their grandchildren.

Is Childcare Bad for the Mental Health of Grandparents? Evidence from Share

We estimate the causal effects of regular and occasional grandchild care on the depression of grandmothers and grandfathers, using data from the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and an instrumental variables strategy which exploits the variation in the timing of interviews across individuals and the fact that childcare declines with the age of grandchildren. We find that 10 additional hours of childcare per month, a 31 percent increase with respect to the sample average, increases the probability of developing depressive symptoms by 3.0 to 3.2 percentage points for grandmothers and by 5.4 to 5.9 percentage points for grandfathers. These results suggest that policies that substitute informal with formal childcare can improve the mental wellbeing of grandparents.

El abuelazgo: enlace intergeneracional en la crianza y cuidado de la primera infancia

Objetivo. Describir algunos procesos de cuidado y crianza en la primera infancia que presentan los abuelos y las abuelas. Metodología. Este artículo se construyó desde una trayectoria hermenéutica, en la cual se cruzaron saberes legos y expertos a través de grupos focales y entrevistas a profundidad que permitieron descifrar los entramados relacionales de la participación de los abuelos y las abuelas en la formación de niños y niñas. Resultados. Se marca una distinción entre la participación central relacionada directamente con la crianza y la participación periférica con el cuidado ocasional o puntual; ya sea la una o la otra, el abuelazgo ―entendido como la participación del abuelo y la abuela en la crianza y cuidado de los nietos y las nietas― se constituye en un umbral de enlaces intergeneracionales que hacen visible algunas pistas de los cambios y transformaciones que se producen a partir de la reconfiguración de la propia maternidad, paternidad y filiación; un proceso que expresa, además, dinámicas parentales y formas de organización familiar diferentes. Conclusión. Se evidencian dilemas emocionales y afectivos, conflictos entre la presión por la solidaridad familiar y el ejercicio de la maternidad y la paternidad, así como tensiones derivadas de las sensibilidades legales y culturales en torno a la crianza y el cuidado de niños y niñas.

Caring for Grandchildren in Kinship Care: What Difficulties Face Irish Grandparents with Drug-Dependent Children?

This article presents the findings of a small qualitative study of the experience of Irish grandparents providing full-time care for grandchildren whose birth parents were drug-dependent. In addition to the stresses and strains directly associated with caregiving of this kind, grandparents also reported considerable dissatisfaction with the support they received from statutory health and social service systems. In particular, they were critical of the attitudes of child protection social workers who, it was suggested, believed that grandparent carers in these circumstances did not need or deserve formal support.

The Health Impact of Intensive and Nonintensive Grandchild Care in Europe: New Evidence From SHARE.

Objectives:Grandparents are an important source of childcare. However, caring for grandchildren may affect grandparents’ health in both positive and negative ways. Our study examines the association between grandparental childcare and grandparents’ health at 2- and 4-year follow-up.Method:Our study is based on grandparents aged 50 and older from Waves 1–4 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Using multivariate analyses, we investigated associations between intensive and nonintensive grandparental childcare at Wave 2 and subsequent health (self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and disability) controlling for covariates and health at baseline. Associations between changes over time in grandparental childcare and health at follow-up were also explored. Multiple imputation techniques and sensitivity analyses were undertaken to investigate possible biases arising from sample attrition.Results:Grandparents looking after grandchildren, whether intensively or nonintensively, experienced some health benefits. Associations strengthened when attrition was accounted for, particularly if it is assumed that those who dropped out of the study were in poor health.Discussion:Our results show better health among grandparents who provided grandchild care in the European countries studied. These results are important given the widespread provision of grandchild care in Europe.

Crowding-Out Effect of Publicly Provided Childcare: Why Maternal Employment Did Not Increase

We estimate the causal effects of childcare availability on the maternal employment rate using prefecture panel data constructed from the Japanese quinquennial census 1990-2010. We find that childcare availability did not increase maternal employment, because the expansion of accredited childcare crowded out informal childcare provided by grandparents. However, as more and more families do not live with grandparents who used to take care of grandchildren, this crowding effect became weaker in the 2000's.

Wasted Food in Low-Income Households: the Role of Abundance and Affection

ObjectiveThis study aims to identify core factors that lead to wasted food in lower-middle income households.Design, Setting and ParticipantsThis qualitative study included data gathering via in-depth interviews with 20 mothers in their homes, observations and photos. The sample included ethnically diverse families from four different areas in a Central NY state town.Outcome Measures and AnalysisContent analysis and grounded theory coding procedures were performed utilizing Atlas.ti software.ResultsIt was found that 3 dimensions of food abundance promotes waste: easy availability of food, overcooking, and abundant stock perceived as a security necessity. Additionally, 3 major categories related to affection were identified as antecedents of wasted food: good mother behavior, family meal enjoyment, and caring for grandchildren.Conclusions and ImplicationsFood abundance and affection are positive intentions that might have a negative outcome when analyzed its impact on wasted food. The paradox of waste in a low-income context emerged as a real problem for these families, and opportunities for nutrition educators and policy makers (e.g. SNAP program) are presented in order to educate consumers to make smarter purchases, to plan meals better, and to show affection in ways that do not involve overservings.FundingCornell Food and Brand Lab. ObjectiveThis study aims to identify core factors that lead to wasted food in lower-middle income households. This study aims to identify core factors that lead to wasted food in lower-middle income households. Design, Setting and ParticipantsThis qualitative study included data gathering via in-depth interviews with 20 mothers in their homes, observations and photos. The sample included ethnically diverse families from four different areas in a Central NY state town. This qualitative study included data gathering via in-depth interviews with 20 mothers in their homes, observations and photos. The sample included ethnically diverse families from four different areas in a Central NY state town. Outcome Measures and AnalysisContent analysis and grounded theory coding procedures were performed utilizing Atlas.ti software. Content analysis and grounded theory coding procedures were performed utilizing Atlas.ti software. ResultsIt was found that 3 dimensions of food abundance promotes waste: easy availability of food, overcooking, and abundant stock perceived as a security necessity. Additionally, 3 major categories related to affection were identified as antecedents of wasted food: good mother behavior, family meal enjoyment, and caring for grandchildren. It was found that 3 dimensions of food abundance promotes waste: easy availability of food, overcooking, and abundant stock perceived as a security necessity. Additionally, 3 major categories related to affection were identified as antecedents of wasted food: good mother behavior, family meal enjoyment, and caring for grandchildren. Conclusions and ImplicationsFood abundance and affection are positive intentions that might have a negative outcome when analyzed its impact on wasted food. The paradox of waste in a low-income context emerged as a real problem for these families, and opportunities for nutrition educators and policy makers (e.g. SNAP program) are presented in order to educate consumers to make smarter purchases, to plan meals better, and to show affection in ways that do not involve overservings. Food abundance and affection are positive intentions that might have a negative outcome when analyzed its impact on wasted food. The paradox of waste in a low-income context emerged as a real problem for these families, and opportunities for nutrition educators and policy makers (e.g. SNAP program) are presented in order to educate consumers to make smarter purchases, to plan meals better, and to show affection in ways that do not involve overservings.

The Effects of Grandparents’ Providing Care for Grandchildren on Mothers’ Attitudes of Coresidence with Elderly Parents: Focusing on Differences between Parents and Parents-in-Law

The Effects of Grandparents’ Providing Care for Grandchildren on Mothers’ Attitudes of Coresidence with Elderly Parents: Focusing on Differences between Parents and Parents-in-Law