Grandchild Care Research Articles

Looking after grandchildren: gender differences in ‘when,’ ‘what,’ and ‘why’: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Background: Grandparents play a vital role in providing childcare to families. However, little is known about when grandmothers and grandfathers look after grandchildren, what they do with them, and why. Objective: Using novel questions on grandparenting, we first describe the periodicity of grandchild care, activities undertaken with/for grandchildren, and motivations for such care to then assess if there are gender differences. Methods: We used wave 8 (2016/17) of the nationally-representative English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The extent to which the periodicity, activities, and motivations are gendered was assessed using logistic regressions. Analyses were carried out on the entire sample of grandparents who provide childcare as well as on coresiding grandparent couples where both grandparents provide grandchild care. Results: More than 50% of grandparents looked after grandchildren, with the majority doing so throughout the year and about one in four during school holidays. Few gender differences were observed in the periodicity of grandchild care and reasons for looking after grandchildren, with almost two-thirds reporting that they wanted to help parents go to work and give them a break. However, when activities undertaken for/with grandchildren were analysed, clear gender differences emerged. Overall, grandmothers were more likely to report caring and helping activities (e.g., cooking, caring when sick, helping with homework, and collecting them from school) than grandfathers, even when they coresided. Contribution: Our study is the first to document, at a population level, gender differences in the periodicity of grandchild care, what grandparents do when they look after grandchildren, and why they provide such care.

손자녀돌봄 종단적 유형과 조부모의 심리적 복지감에 관한 연구

본 연구는 손자녀돌봄 상태의 종단적 유형과 시간에 따른 조부모의 심리적 복지감 차이는 어떠한지, 이러한 심리적 복지감 차이와 관련 있는 요인들은 무엇인지를 살펴보는 것을 목적으로 고령화연구패널(KLoSA) 제5차(2014년)와 제6차(2016년) 자료를 사용하여 분석을 진행하였다. 연구결과 네 그룹 모두 시간이 흐름에 따라 자연스럽게 우울 수준은 감소하고, 삶의 만족도는 증가하였다. 그러나 돌봄지속 그룹은 삶의 만족도가 제일 낮고 우울 수준의 개선이 다른 그룹에 비해 크지 않았고, 돌봄전이 조부모는 삶의 만족도의 변화가 제일 컸으나 우울수준의 변화는 제일 작았다. 돌봄중단 조부모는 우울 수준의 개선이 제일 많이 된 그룹이었다. 마지막으로 비돌봄 조부모는 선행연구들에서처럼 심리적 복지감에 있어 우울 수준은 낮고 삶의 만족도는 제일 높은 그룹이었다. 네 그룹의 심리적 복지감에 공통적으로 영향을 미치는 요인은 주관적 건강상태였으며, 우울 수준에는 특히 사회활동, 경제적 수입, 배우자와의 동거가, 삶의 만족도에는 사회활동, 월평균 용돈, 생존자녀 수가 관계되는 요인으로 나타났다. 연구결과를 바탕으로 손자녀돌봄 조부모의 심리적 복지감 관련 정책적 실천적 방안을 제시하였다.

Age-related loss of resources and perceived old age in China

AbstractLife expectancy in China has increased. This paper explores the age when older adults (aged 60 and above) consider themselves to be an ‘older person’ and how age-related loss of resources (five dimensions: early cumulative factors, decline and loss of health resources, reduction and loss of economic resources, weakening and loss of social support resources, and personal role transition and experiences of losing family members) could impact their perceived old age. Using two waves of data from the China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey (CLASS) in 2014 and 2016 (6,244 participants in 2014 and 2,989 participants in both 2014 and 2016), we found that the mean perceived old age is around 70 years at baseline (2014). Higher level of educational attainment and occupational types (early cumulative factors), better health condition, receiving support from friends and taking care of grandchildren are significantly associated with the perception that old age begins at an older age at baseline, while being Han-Chinese, being an urban resident (early cumulative factors) and reporting better health condition have significant positive effects on the perception that old age begins at an older age in the later wave. Our findings suggest that the age standard of older adults should be adjusted dynamically in response to social development and longevity, and also highlight the importance of early cumulative factors in shaping the ageing process besides age-related factors.

Work–family balance in the second half of life: Caregivers' decisions regarding retirement and working time reduction in Europe

AbstractThis article investigates how different types of informal caregiving – upward, lateral and downward – impact men's and women's decisions to retire or to reduce their working hours, and how welfare policy characteristics moderate the linkage between informal care provision and employment participation. The analyses are based on six waves from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We exploit the data's longitudinal structure by applying fixed‐effects regression models with lagged, time‐varying country characteristics. The results show that, in most cases, upward caregiving to parents is less relevant for deciding to remain in the labour market than lateral care (especially to siblings, friends and neighbours) and downward grandchild care. The welfare context moderates the impact of caregiving on labour market participation, with variation between the different types of care provided.

Providing regular grandchild care: Grandparents’ psychological and physical health

ObjectivesTo examine the associations between intensity of providing regular grandchild care and positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA), heart rate variability (HRV) and somatic symptoms. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving 104 individuals (aged 59–82) who provide at least 5 h a week of regular care for their grandchildren. The study model was assessed using structural equation modeling. ResultsIntensity of regular care (mean hours per week: M = 14.8, SD = 11.2) was associated with higher PA and lower NA. Higher perceived role overload, higher NA and lower PA were associated with lower HRV and somatic symptoms. The fit indices indicated a good model fit. ConclusionsThe results suggest that healthcare professionals should be aware of the positive and negative implications of caring for grandchildren on their older patients, including the increased risk of future morbidity, as indicated by lower HRV.

Extending understanding of grandchild care on feelings of loneliness and isolation in later life : Aliterature review.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents serious challenges across the world. Among these challenges are the possible negative implications for the mental health and well-being of older persons that ongoing social distancing measures may cause. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing body of literature explored the associations between grandchild caregiving, loneliness and social isolation. We summarize the existing literature on this topic. An association between the provision of grandchild care and reduced feelings of loneliness was found in cross-sectional studies; however, a longitudinal study identified possible gender differences in the impact of grandchild care on feelings of loneliness, with the commencement of grandchild care linked to grandfathers feeling lonelier. At the conclusion of the summary, we highlight the need for further research in this field. Further research is of particular relevance given the drastic changes to the way families and older people interact socially, brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Daily grandchild care and grandparents' employment: a comparison of four European child-care policy regimes

AbstractHaving grandchildren is known to reduce individuals’ labour supply. However, it is unclear whether there is a negative association between grandchild care provision and employment among grandparents. Moreover, we do not know how the magnitude of any association between the two activities may vary across countries characterised by different child-care policy regimes. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, this paper investigates the association between daily grandchild care provision and two employment outcomes for grandmothers and grandfathers aged 50–69: the probability of being employed and the average weekly working hours. Recursive bivariate models are used to account for the potential selection of grandparents with different unobserved traits into work and family care. Estimates are compared across four country groups characterised by different child-care policy orientations: optional de-familisation, service de-familisation, supported familism and familism by default. On average, across 20 European countries, grandparents looking after grandchildren daily are no less likely to work than grandparents who do not; however, employed grandfathers work eight hours less per week if providing daily child care. Evidence of a negative association between daily grandchild care and employment is strongest in countries with familistic approaches to child care, with no association in countries characterised by optional de-familisation. This suggests that public support to child care may help retain grandparents in the labour force.

The Implications of Providing Grandchild Care for Grandparents’ Marital Quality

This study distinguished among types of grandchild care (i.e., co-residence, high and low levels of babysitting, and no care), and examined their associations with grandparents’ marital quality. The sample consisted of 7,267 married grandparents aged 40 years and over from the 2008, 2010, and 2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Providing grandchild care generally undermined grandparents’ marital quality; however, different types of grandchild care affected different aspects of marital quality. The negative effects of providing grandchild care were more pronounced among grandmothers than grandfathers. Grandmothers providing high-level babysitting care were at especially higher risk of experiencing marital strain among the caregiver groups. Findings suggest that providing grandchild care appears to be more of a stressor than a source of reward with respect to shaping grandparents’ marital quality. Sensitivity to such impact on marital quality may be usefully incorporated into developing supports and services meant for grandparent caregivers.

Caregiver Status and Diet Quality in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Objectives Prior studies on caregivers have focused mainly on the diet quality of their recipients, especially children. We investigated both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of caregiver status and diet quality in older adults (mean 53.0 ± 9.0 years). Methods We studied participants in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study (57.7% women, 62% African American) between wave 3 (2009–2013) and wave 4 (2013–2018). Caregiving was assessed at both waves, starting at wave 3. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI2010) score, a measure of diet quality, was assessed from two 24-hour recalls at each wave on both occasions (mean 4.1 years follow-up). Baseline caregiving (at wave 3) was examined in relation to change in HEI between waves 3 and 4. Multivariable linear regression was performed for cross-sectional analysis; mixed-effects regression was performed for longitudinal analyses. Results are expressed as β-coefficients ± standard error of means (β±SE). Results After adjusting for age, sex, race and poverty status, more time spent taking care of grandchildren (N = 2033) was associated with poor diet quality (–1.51 ± 0.55, P = 0.006) in cross-sectional analysis (wave 4 caregiving and wave 4 HEI). However, in a separate cross-sectional analysis (wave 4 only) on dual (caring for both grandchildren and an elderly person) vs. single caregivers (either grandchildren or elderly) (N = 73; 24 men & 49 women) we found no difference in diet quality. The longitudinal analyses (N = 1848) demonstrated that diet quality did not change with caregiving over time for either grandchildren (P = 0.16) or others (not children & grandchildren) (P = 0.88). Overall, women tended to have better quality diet (P < 0.001) than men. Conclusions Among relatively older caregivers, cross-sectional analyses revealed an inverse effect of caregiving with diet quality. Longitudinal research is needed to evaluate the temporal associations of dual caregiving with subsequent diet quality changes over time. Funding Sources The first author is supported by a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Intramural Research Program (IRP) at the National Institute on Aging (NIA). HANDLS is supported by the Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, grant Z01-AG000513.

In Consideration of the Needs of Caregivers: Grandparenting Experiences in Manitoba First Nation Communities

Grandparents are valued in traditional and contemporary Aboriginal societies. In this paper we summarize traditional knowledge from Manitoba Aboriginal experiences, and we provide data from contemporary on-reserve grandmothers. Data for this study were collected in 2007 in 16 First nations Manitoba communities. Open-ended semi-structured in-person interviews were conducted in maternal-child centers that provide programs for developmental health for children and their parents (prenatal to age 6). Of the 100 people interviewed, ten of those were grandmothers, and their stories are analyzed in this paper. Results showed that grandmothers provided cultural transmission to subsequent generations, ensured child safety, provided acceptance and care for grandchildren, were challenged by inadequate and unsafe housing and communities, had difficulty proving educational supports for grandchildren, were supported by a network of kin, found community support inconsistent, needed to make a living, and needed more health supports. Implications for policy and research are given at the end of the paper.

Active Ageing Index in Russia - Identifying Determinants for Inequality

This paper is aimed at the development of a tool analysing the AAI results for the Russian older citizens from different population groups, as well as at identifying factors underlying the inequalities in active ageing outcomes by calculation the AAI on the national and individual levels. The adaptation of the methodology of the AAI to the individual-level data and the limitations of the approach are explicitly explained. The older generations of Russia show relatively high levels of education, financial security and engagement in family care, especially in the care to children. The most significant potential for development have employment, volunteering, political engagement, physical activity, lifelong learning and use of the Internet. The calculation of the AAI at the individual level has revealed significant inequalities in the degree of realisation of potential in different areas of active ageing. The results of the project provide scientific evidence for the implementation of policy measures in the target groups. The high correlation of the index values with human capital indicators (health and education) underlines the importance of the early interventions aimed at promoting and supporting human capital at the earlier stages of the life course till the old age. The substantial positive connection of employment with other forms of activity stresses the necessity of developing a package of activation policy measures aimed at the retention of older adults in the labour market. At the same time, the statistical analysis showed the absence of a “dilemma of choice” between certain types of activity of the older generation, for example, between caring for grandchildren and employment, or employment and volunteering - the potential in different areas may be increased simultaneously.

Perceived Health Status of and Moderating Factors in Elderly People Caring for Their Grandchildren.

Objective Situations in which elderly people are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren are becoming more common. This study aimed to investigate moderating factors of and the association between grandchild care and the grandparents’ perceived health. Financial support in return for grandchild care was also investigated as a moderating factor. Methods Participants included 357 elderly people over the age of 60 years. The assessment to evaluate the perceived health status and social support was performed via a questionnaire. It included questions regarding the care of grandchildren and demographic variables, as well as the Medical Outcome Survey (MOS) 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), and the MOS Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Results The subscale scores of SF-36 and MOS-SSS did not differ significantly for grandchild-care status. However, the subscale scores of SF-36 were significantly higher in groups that received regular financial support from adult children in return for grandchild care than in groups that did not. Conclusion Our data suggest that regular financial support in return for grandchild care may be a moderating factor in the association between grandchild care and the perceived health status of elderly people. These findings have important social implications and warrant future study to reveal the psychological mechanism of these associations and enhance the health of elderly individuals.

A Comparative Study on Quality of Life of Re-employment and Non-re-employed People after Retirement

To compared the quality of life and factors affecting the re-employment and non-employment of retirees, suggestions were provided for re-employment and provide for the aged. 450 retirees between 50 and 70 years of age in Xi’an city were surveyed and interviewed semi-structured by means of self-made general situation questionnaire, SF-12 scale and social support revalued scale, and the results were statistically analyzed. There was a strong willingness of retirees to re-enter the workforce, 298 (66 %) of the 450 people were willing to re-enter the workforce and 167(37 %) were re-employed; the quality of life and social support scores of those who have been re-employed are higher than those of those who have not been re-employed (t=-5.595, p<0.05; t=-7.748, p<0.05); low re-employment rates for people with chronic diseases and those who need to care for grandchildren (2=26.511, p<0.05; 2=33.772, p<0.05). The factors that have statistical significance for the re-employment of retirees are the willingness to re-employment, the care of grandchildren, the chronic diseases, the quality of life, and social support. The quality of life of re-employed persons is better than that of non-re-employed persons, and re-employment is affected by many factors.

The Impact of Social Support on the Health of the Rural Elderly in China.

With the dramatic trend of global aging, the physical and mental health of the rural elderly has attracted significant attention. Social support plays an important role in improving the health of the elderly. However, assessing the impact of social support on the physical and mental health of the elderly is challenging in rural China. This paper analyzes the impact of social support on the physical and mental health of the Chinese rural elderly based on data collected from households and village cadres. Probit, Oprobit, and ordinary least squares (OLS) are used to estimate these effects. The results show that 24.3% of the rural elderly are in bad physical health, and 32.9% of them are depressed. Physical and mental health is worse among the female elderly and among those who are in western provinces. Having pensions, taking care of grandchildren, and communicating with children by telephone are shown to significantly improve the mental health of the rural elderly. The government could promote the mental health of the rural elderly by improving public health services, increasing pensions, providing free mobile phones to elderly people in poverty, and advocating that the younger generation provide emotional support.

What are the social consequences of beginning or ceasing to care for grandchildren? Evidence from an asymmetric fixed effects analysis of community dwelling adults in Germany

Objective: To examine the influence of a change in one’s caregiving status, i.e. beginning to provide grandchild care or ceasing to provide grandchild care, on feelings of loneliness and one’s social network size.Method: A longitudinal study was conducted, using data drawn from a population-based sample of community-based individuals ≥ 40 years. This data was analyzed using asymmetric fixed effects models (n = 8,678 observations). Perceived loneliness was measured using a short version of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. The number of important people with whom respondents have regular contact was used an outcome variable. All respondents were asked whether they privately cared for children that were not their own.Results: Beginning to undertake care of a grandchild was associated with an increase in loneliness scores among men (β = 0.10, p < 0.001). Beginning to undertake care of a grandchild also increased the social network size among male grandparents (β = 0.68, p < 0.001). Ceasing to undertake grandchild care was not found to have an impact on feelings of loneliness or social network size among male, nor female, grandparents.Conclusion: This study identifies a positive association between caring for one’s grandchild and one’s social network. Men were found to experiences increases in feelings of loneliness, where women did not, suggesting possible divergences and experiences of this role. Grandfathers in particular should receive additional support when commencing the care of a grandchild to mitigate possible feelings of loneliness. This study builds on the growing literature exploring the implications of a grandparents undertaking supplementary care of their grandchildren.

Grandparenting and Mortality: How Does Race-Ethnicity Matter?

Little is known about whether and how intergenerational relationships influence older adult mortality. This study examines the association between caring for grandchildren (i.e., grandparenting) and mortality and how the link differs by race-ethnicity. Drawing from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014, N = 13,705), I found different racial-ethnic patterns in the effects of grandparenting on mortality risk. White grandparents who provide intensive noncoresident grandparenting (i.e., over 500 hours of babysitting per two years) and multigenerational household grandparenting have a lower risk of mortality compared to noncaregiving grandparents. In contrast, black grandparents have a higher mortality risk than their noncaregiving counterparts when providing intensive noncoresident, multigenerational household, and skipped-generation household (i.e., grandparent-headed family) grandparenting. Caregiving Hispanic grandparents are not significantly different from their noncaregiving counterparts in mortality risk. These findings suggest that important variations in social and cultural contexts for racial-ethnic groups shape the consequences of grandparenting for older adult mortality.

Gendered moral rationalities in later life: grandparents balancing paid work and care of grandchildren in Australia

AbstractIn recent years there has been increasing policy focus on keeping mature-age people engaged in the labour market. At the same time, grandparents play an important role as regular child-care providers for many families. Yet, little research has explored how grandparents negotiate these dual, often competing demands of paid employment and intergenerational care. Drawing on focus groups with 23 grandparents and an online survey of 209 grandparents providing regular child care for their grandchildren in Australia, this paper addresses this gap in the literature by examining how Australian grandparents experience and negotiate competing responsibilities as older workers and intergenerational care providers. The paper draws on the concept of gendered moral rationalities to examine the way in which grandparents’ decisions about participation in paid work are deeply embedded in idealised forms of parenting and grandparenting that are highly gendered. The paper suggests that, as the rate of both maternal and mature-age participation in the paid labour market continues to rise, inadequate attention is being paid to how time spent undertaking unpaid care is compressed, reorganised and redistributed across genders and generations as a result.

Factors Associated with the Psychological Health of Caregiving Older Parents and Support from Their Grown Children: Results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

In China, older parents have become an important source of childcare for their grown children since 2010. However, caring for grandchildren may affect older parents’ psychological health (PH) in both positive and negative ways. Using the method of stepwise decreasing logistic regression, this study aimed to assess the factors associated with PH and support from grown children among caregiving older parents (400 respondents) based on the public panel data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The findings showed that being male (X1, OR = 1.661 (95% CI 1.066–2.590)), being literate (X4, OR = 2.129 (95% CI 1.369–3.309)), and expecting long-term care in the future from their grown children (X6, OR = 2.695 (95% CI 1.736–4.185)) were significant factors associated with PH. Therefore, in such an aging society, we should not regard older parents as a “burden”; we should recognize and appreciate their contribution to caregiving. As family and children, it is important to give older parents the necessary economic and emotional support to maintain their psychological health in the meantime.

Mutual Assistance of Urban Parents and Adult Children: Differences in Age, Educational and Income Groups

Since 2019, Russia has been implementing The Federal project “Older generation”, which is one of the five Federal projects (FP) of the national project”Demography”. The purpose of the project is to expand the boundaries of active and efficient old age, strengthen the health of older people, and provide them with decent care from the state [Federal.., 2019]. In addition to government efforts, the family ties of the elderly are also important. One of the indicators of well-being of older people is the nature of their relationships with adult children. To analyze the mutual assistance of adult children and parents in Russia, we used the databases of the 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2018 COHR. Sub-samples of urban citizens aged 55–64 and 65 years and older who have adult children living separately were formed. The dynamics of various types of mutual assistance is described, and the change in the balance of monetary mutual assistance between parents and adult children in these age groups is shown. The differences in monetary mutual assistance and care for grandchildren by gender of parents, among educated/ uneducated parents and living in households with different income levels in the selected age groups are analyzed. Changing the models of interaction between parents and adult children can become one of the adaptive strategies in the next crisis social conditions in Russia.

Dual caregiving by grandmothers with older relatives: Personal factors influencing health and stress.

Grandmothers in the "sandwich generation" are considered as those women who are potential caregivers for two generations: older relatives and grandchildren. With the goal of understanding the factors that affect their stress and health, 149 women from southwestern Spain were interviewed using an ad hoc questionnaire that included standardized scales and subscales. The results showed that age, coping strategies based on emotional support and acceptance, as well as optimism and social support improved the health of these women by reducing their perceived stress. Although caring for older relatives is related to family conflicts and worse health, conversely, caring for grandchildren is related to slightly better health. The results are useful for planning psychological interventions with these women and highlight the need to include family interventions.