All in the Family: The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on Grandparents' Health

Hughes, Mary Elizabeth; Waite, Linda J.; LaPierre, Tracey A.; Luo, Ye

doi:10.1093/geronb/62.2.s108

Cited by 406 publications

(389 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Netuveli et al 2006) and active grandparenting (Hughes et al 2007). Subjective health, ranging from poor (1) to excellent (5), is included in the model as a quasi-metric variable (M = 3.13, SD = 1.10).…”

Section: Grandparent Obligationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structured ambivalence in grandchild care and the quality of life among European grandparents

Neuberger

Haberkern

2013

Eur J Ageing

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This study employs the concept of structured ambivalence to analyse the effect of grandchild care on quality of life (QoL) in different cultural contexts. We define structured ambivalence as the contradiction between behaviour and cultural norms. The analysis is based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe with 14 countries in the sample. We focus on grandparents aged 50 and over with at least one grandchild 12 years old or younger (n = 12,740). In countries with high grandparent obligations, grandparents who did not look after their grandchildren reported a lower quality of life. Compliance with such grandparental obligations (e.g. providing grandchild care in a country with high grandparent obligations) was found to increase the QoL of grandparents. Family policy should consider family practices that better match the realities of current grandparents' lives in order to reduce structured ambivalence and increase the QoL of grandparents.

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Section: Grandparent Obligationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structured ambivalence in grandchild care and the quality of life among European grandparents

Neuberger

Haberkern

2013

Eur J Ageing

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“…Also, care of grandchildren as a main occupation in free time was a significant protective factor in univariate and multivariate analysis for women only. Grand-parenting involves reassumption of parenting roles in advanced ages even as elders have to contend with their own problems of getting older, among them, their declining health (Hughes et al 2007). Although the increased burden of grand-parenting has been notable, the services performed by the grandchildren for their grandparents and their strong emotional bond are beneficial to the total well-being of the older persons and this must not be overlooked (Hughes et al 2007; United Nations 2009).…”

Section: Socio-structural Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in depression among older adults: are older women more vulnerable than men in social risk factors? The case of open care centers for older people in Greece

et al. 2012

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This study examined depression, which, research has indicated, is the most common mental health problem affecting older people, especially women. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of depression among older people in an urban Greek population and to investigate the covariates of depression symptoms prevalence by gender. The sample consisted of 360 individuals, 218 women and 142 men, aged 60 years or older, members of four open care centers for older people in Greece. A questionnaire for socio-demographic and medical data was used. Depression was probed by use of the geriatric depression scale short form. One-hundred and nine persons (30.3%), 32 men (22.53%) and 77 women (35.12%) were found to have depressive symptoms. The results indicated that women have more depression symptoms than men. Being currently unmarried and suffering from multimorbidity were associated with depression symptoms in both gender groups. Meetings with friends were found to be protective factors for both sexes; care of grandchildren and participating in outings and excursions seemed to be protective factors for women only. Unfavorable economic situations, and being childless, were associated with prevalence of depression symptoms among women only. This study confirmed the relationship between depression symptoms and gender and the importance of social and medical factors in the prevalence of depression symptoms, in both gender groups. It also indicated the greater vulnerability of women to some social factors.

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“…Nonreciprocal exchange-in terms of effort spent and rewards received-in marital and parental roles is associated with an elevated probability of experiencing depressive symptoms (Knesebeck and Siegrist 2003). Within the framework of intergenerational transfers, further research focuses on the impact of grandchildren and grandparental care on the grandparents' physical and mental health (e.g., Hughes et al 2007). Other areas of research related to social support refer to recovery from illness and depression and the buffering model of social support (e.g., Multran et al 1995;Krause 1987;Hull 1997, 2001) and to the potential role of social support as a moderator in the depression-functional disability association (Travis et al 2004).…”

Section: Determinants Of Mental Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Children’s impact on the mental health of their older mothers and fathers: findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

2008

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The relation between social support and mental health has been thoroughly researched and structural characteristics of the social network have been widely recognised as being an important component of social support. The aim of this paper is to clarify the association between children and depressive mood states of their older parents. Based on international comparative data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe we analysed how the number of children, their proximity and the frequency of contact between older parents and their children are associated with the mental health of older people, using the EURO-D index. Our results indicate a positive association of children and depressive mood since childless men and women report more depressive symptoms. Moreover, few contacts with children were associated with an increased number of depressive symptoms. The family status was related to mental health as well: older men and women living with a spouse or partner had the lowest levels of depression. Interestingly, the presence of a spouse or partner was more relevant for the mental health of older people than the presence of, or contact with, their children.

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All in the Family: The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on Grandparents' Health

Cited by 406 publications

References 37 publications

Structured ambivalence in grandchild care and the quality of life among European grandparents

Structured ambivalence in grandchild care and the quality of life among European grandparents

Sex differences in depression among older adults: are older women more vulnerable than men in social risk factors? The case of open care centers for older people in Greece

Children’s impact on the mental health of their older mothers and fathers: findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe

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