March 18, 2009 – Multigenerational Households are Back in Style

The Pew Research Center announced today their new study about Multigenerational Households. They’ve looked at the data on multi-generational households as far back as 1940, when about 25% of the population lived in a multigenerational household. By 1980 only 12% of the population lived among multiple generations. But according to Pew’s new analyzation of census data, 16.1% of the US population now live with at least two adult generations, or a grandparent and at least one other generation. That’s 49 million Americans living in multigenerational homes.

What has fueled this trend? For one thing, a Pew survey found that 1 in 8 young adults ages 22-29 are living back at home with after being out on their own because of the recession. That "failure to launch" generation of young adults is emerging as a new life stage. In addition, about 20% of older adults are living with younger family members.

Pew speculated that perhaps this increasing trend could be the result of economic woes and/or because today’s older adults are parents to the baby boomer generation, which means they may have more viable adult children with whom to share a household. Culture and immigration are also contributors to this trend – with the increasing immigrant population being more likely to live in multigenerational households.

Multigenerational families also include grandparents raising grandchildren, older adults who move in with their adult children and families in which 3 or more generations are living together.

AARP’s recent study about multigenerational households found similar results, although different data sets were used. AARP found that multigeneraitonal households are growing in number, with 5.0 million in 2000 to 6.6 million in 2009.

Whatever the data sets or causes, it’s a trend we can’t ignore. How many of you are living in one of these multigenerational scenarios?

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March 15, 2010 - Grandmother Builds School for Grandchild with Disability

Donna Spiegel, a grandmother in Cincinnati, got the news that her grandson had cerebral palsy and she was devastated. She began to research treatments and services, and found there was no school in their area that could help her grandson. So what did she do? She took matters into her own hands and created a school. With the proceeds from her chain of secondhand stores, and a lot of help from friends and customers, the school now serves 10 students. Her love for her grandson was translated into this very concrete result: her grandson, who doctors said would never walk, is now walking. What more could a grandparent want? Here’s to Donna and other grandparents who go to bat for their grandchildren! See the segment about Donna on ABC’s World News Tonight here.

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Feb 16, 2010 – Children in Grandparent Care at Greater Risk for Obesity

In Great Britain, a study of 12,000 3 year olds which was conducted by the University College London found that the children who were cared for part-time by grandparents while mothers worked were 15% more likely to be obese than those cared for by parents full-time. When the 3 year olds were cared for by grandparents full-time, the risk increased to 34%.

Are grandparents in Great Britain feeding their grandchildren candy all day? Fried foods? Watching TV with no physical activity? I can’t answer that question. But one piece of the study that is not getting as much attention may also hold a clue as to why these children are obese. According the Telegraph, “Researchers also found the increased risk was only apparent in children from the most advantaged groups – whose mothers had a managerial or professional job, had a degree, or lived with their partner.”

Since this factor makes a difference in the risk for obesity, it might suggest that those parents are not balancing the child’s daytime nutrition and activity levels in the evening. Do they bring work home to do and therefore encourage their children to watch television or use the computer rather than engaging in some kind of physical play? Are they less likely to cook a nutritional dinner themselves?  The finding suggests that perhaps the obesity risk for these children doesn’t lie solely on the grandparents.

As people review this study, I can just envision the stereotyping going on. You know the stereotype:  grandma sitting in a rocking chair while 3 year olds are sitting in front of the TV eating cupcakes and cookies. In the U.S., the average age of a first-time grandparent is 48. Assuming this is similar in Great Britain, the grandparents of a 3 year old are quite likely to be in their early 50’s. Hardly sitting in a rocking chair unable to play with grandchildren! 

I can imagine that grandparents can benefit from education about nutrition and the importance of keeping kids playing and moving. It can be exhausting caring for a 3 year old – so grandparents always benefit from ideas that alternate more active with more sedentary activity. But I hardly think this study will change the fact that grandparents are the largest providers of child care for pre-schoolers in the U.S. (other than their parents.) They are preferred back-up caregivers in Great Britain as well. 

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Feb. 1, 2010 - Grandparents Crucial for Grandchildren with Autism

I recently had the opportunity to get an exclusive first look at data from a new survey fielded by the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) of grandparents who have grandchildren with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and I was amazed.  First I was blown away at the new statistic from the CDC, released in Dec. 2009, that indicated 1 in 110 children in the US is diagnosed with ASD, and 1 in 70 boys. Those figures are staggering - that means Autism is affecting so many families in our immediate circles of life. There are probably families in your church, your school, your neighborhood and of course your family who are affected by Autism. You may not even know it, but they are undoubtedly there.

The survey of grandparents revealed the significant role grandparents are playing in supporting famlies affected by Autism - grandparents are often the support in terms of direct care, financial assistance, help researching treatments and providing the "moral support" and emotional fortitude to help parents raise their child with Autism. Read more in my 3-part series of columns, Grandparents Crucial for Grandchildren with Autism , here on the AARP.org website.

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January 21, 2010 - Brits Have New Emphasis on Grandparents and Easing Visitation

Ed Balls, the children's secretary in the UK, is issuing a green paper emphasizing the important role grandparents play in children's lives, and making it easier for them to apply for visitation. Read more HERE.  

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January 7, 2010  - Granddaughter Saves Grandmother's Life: Positive Family Story in the News!

I came across this wonderfully positive news story today "Granddaughter saves Gilbert woman stuck under car for hours" - http://www.abc15.com/content/news/southeastvalley/gilbert/story/Granddaughter-saves-Gilbert-woman-stuck-under-car/KC09qZE3J0iFxexmdFj4Jg.cspx   Somtimes it seems like all we hear about are the problems in families...here is a story about a grandchild who wanted to go see her "Nina" and found her pinned under a car, where she had been for 3 hours. Thanks to her grandchild's desire to visit with her grandma, her life was saved!

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October 31, 2009    Halloween - A Treat for me as a Caregiver

He was whimsical and imposing in his sorcerer's cape and tall pointy hat with stars and moons on it, and the lighted staff he carried really made the outfit. She was the dramatic in her witch hat and long flowing black cape - the prettiest witch we saw all night. And he, the littlest one, was the cutest fireman you've ever seen, with his red hat an a jaunty angle and his red coat flying as he ran past.  Am I talking about the trick-or-treaters we saw this year? Nope. That's my parents - Dad the Sorcerer, Mom the Witch and their dog, Jackson, the fireman (see photos in My Photos in my profile.)

We all gathered at "the house" (which we've started calling my parents' house that I am now living in since they moved to a senior living community.) I made chili and we made a fire in the portable fireplace in the front courtyard. Our chairs were set up outside at the entrance and we waited there with big bowls of candy to hand out along with our bowls of chili. I in my devilish outfit, my sister in her halloween headgear, my niece as a bunny and her dad as a toxic waste victim (yes, really.) And of course the dogs - my sister's in a Hawaiin shirt and a pumpkin outfit, and Jackson running round putting out fires - ahem, well it was the perfect outfit for a dog - right?!   Greeting trick-or-treaters at the door in costume is one of my parents' traditions, and I didn't want the fact that they have moved to change that. We had a blast! And I think it was reassuring for my parents' to be able to continue the tradition.

I realize that one of the perks of coming here to Arizona to care for my parents is that I get to experience moments like these - along with the doctor appointments, home maintenance, financial management and other aspects of family caregiving. These moments, and the memories they create, will stay with me forever, and I appreciate every nano-second of them for as long as I possibly can.

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November 26, 2009      Grandfather in Washington, DC Raising His Great-granddaughter

In the holiday season the struggles of grandparents raising grandchildren often are intesified. Grandparents want to provide all the best for their grandchildren, but financial and health struggles often get in the way. An article in the Washington Post on Thanksgiving Day told the story of a 66 year old great-grandfather who is raising his 11 year great-granddaughter - read the story at http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/family/articles/a_bond_transcending_generations.html?cmp=NLC-RSS-DAILY-BULLETIN. Mr. Bruce, the grandfather in this story personifies the strength, dedication and character of giving that grandparent and other relative caregivers have. He works at a local community services agency and was in the midst of helping to coordinate the agency's Thanksgiving activities - planning to feed over 600 people this year.  Hat's off to Mr. Bruce, his great-granddaughter and all the other grandfamilies this Thanksgiving who have each other to be thankful for.

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November 30, 2009 Texas Grandparents Struggle with Finances

I’ve just returned from the AARP Life@50+ National Event in Las Vegas. Vegas wears me out, but it sure is entertaining!  One certainly sees a bit of everything there!.  I met so many great AARP members and their families at the Event who had travelled from all over the country to attend. Most seemed to be “repeat attenders” of the Event, and thousands have already signed up for next year in Orlando. It seems that once you attend – you’re hooked!

Here are some of my reflections on sessions and workshops that addressed family issues: