Changes within the family unit have resulted in changes in interactions between grandparents and older grandchildren. Existing research indicates that these relationships can result in positive outcomes. A relevant task for researchers is to continue to explore th~se intergenerational relationships. This qualitative phenomenological study explores the question: What functional patterns exist when grandparents interact with older grandchildren? Six grandparent-older grandchild pairs agreed to be involved. Kennedy's (1992) formulation of grandparent-older grandchild activity clusters was reviewed and revised. Activities were clustered related to socialization, companionship, support, entertainment, and education. Findings unique to this study indicate that shared activities were mutually chosen with consideration of activity tolerance, and were consistently evaluated as enjoyable. Partners were chosen because of a comfortable relationship established through frequent past and present interactions, and not because of family lineage preferences. Both grandparents and older grandchildren stated a desire to have a generation peer share activities with them. Exploration of dimension concepts for the "McMaster Model of Family Functioning" indicated that these relationships have potential to contribute to healthy family functioning. The implications for practice, theory development and further research are suggested.

This landmark resource investigates and documents current and predicted trends regarding the experiences of grandparents in the United States and abroad. Edited by two of the foremost scholars and educators on the health and wellbeing of grandparents raising their grandchildren, it reflects the enormous changes in the roles of grandparents during the last several decades and explores the historical and social context in which these changes have occurred. With contributions from internationally recognized scholars in family studies, gerontology, human development, psychology, social work, and sociology, this interdisciplinary resource examines the roles of grandparents from multiple perspectives including the cultural/historical, developmental, ecological, and cross cultural, as well as from a clinical/family systems perspective. It reflects the redefinition of the role of grandparents over the past 20 years, mirroring societal shifts in greater longevity and life expectancy, and a greater awareness that grandparenting cannot be viewed in a sociocultural vacuum. Scholars, clinicians, and educators of adult development and aging, will find a wealth of critical information in their fields of endeavor, as will policy makers and clinical practitioners. Print version of the book includes free, searchable, digital access to entire contents of the book! Key Features: Addresses new dimensions of grandparenting such as sexual orientation, health of grandparents, resilience and resourcefulness, step-grandparents, and great-grandparenting Delivers groundbreaking research on the health and wellbeing of grandparents caring for their grandchildren Covers decreasing health disparities, health care coverage, and stipends for grandparents who are not certified kinship providers Examines grief, clinical interventions, grandparent-grandchild and intergenerational relationships, divorce, and the prevalence of multigenerational households Discusses the expanding role of grandfathers, the impact of HIV-AIDS and drug addiction on grandparents, and the global nature of grandparenting Includes clinical case study approaches to helping grandparents

This study was an effort to expand current grandparent research through exploration of the perspective of the grandfather and grandchild on their relationship and to examine differences in grandparenting style, gender, and lineage relating to areas of meaning, activities, and solidarity. Data were collected from 137 grandchildren and 61 grandfathers living in rural Southwest Iowa. Contrary to the hypothesis, grandchildren reported more intergenerational contact, more exchanges, and recalled more activities than did the grandfathers. Results indicated that there were no significant gender effects and very few significant differences when comparing grandparenting styles. Family structural variables did not predict intergenerational relationships.

Intergenerational Programs: Understanding What We Have Created focuses on research efforts to design, improve, and evaluate activities among younger and older individuals while examining how intergenerational activities impact children, families, and older adult participants. The first single volume to reflect the current state of research knowledge in this area, this vital guide provides practitioners, program developers, researchers, and students with case studies, research findings, and models and examples of productive activities. It will help you guide short- and long-term program development, document activity effectiveness, and ensure program survival during fiscal hardships to give participants constructive and positive experiences. Discussing the opportunity to transfer experience and knowledge of older persons in our society to future generations, Intergenerational Programs: Understanding What We Have Created examines the challenges that may arise in providing meaningful activities for younger and older persons. This helpful book explores research methods, such as qualitative approaches with large, national data sets; observations; program histories; and qualitative analyses of interviews with small numbers of program participants to help you create appropriate activities and foster interdependence between these two age groups. Intergenerational Programs: Understanding What We Have Created will help you research programs and produce successful activity outcomes with such techniques as: using an ethnographic approach, involving a holistic perspective and using field-based data collection methods, to meet the challenges of creating programs among two different age groups and the social problems each group faces using constructivist and sociocultural orientations, which are traditionally applied to a “classroom learning,” to offer new ways of viewing and assessing learning in community-based programs understanding the positive effects grandparents can have on their grandchildren, including helping parents resolve children's behavioral problems and assisting in providing positive environments incorporating knowledge of drug abuse issues, problem-solving skills, feelings of self-worth, and academic goals into programs to benefit youths developing elder-care services in conjunction with businesses to improve the quality of life for the elderly and the workers, as well as decreasing workers’absenteeism, mistakes, and time used to make personal calls to elderly relatives who need care Comprehensive and intelligent, this current book contains studies and research that explore the negative and positive aspects of certain activities, allowing you to learn from the experiences of others. This book provides research methods and evaluation measures to help you decide what kinds of activities are needed in order to best benefit participants. As a result, you will be able to create relevant programs, assess their effectiveness, and help join different generations in working together for an improved quality of life for all group members.

Chapter 10 Noncaregiving Grandparent Peers' Perceptions of Custodial Grandparents: Extent of Life Disruption, Needs for Social Support, and Needs for Social and Mental Health Services -- About the Authors -- Index

Grandparents in Cultural Context gives a long overdue global view of the changing roles of grandparents. The eleven main chapters are by experts in the Americas, Europe and Russia, Asia, and Africa and the Middle East, and the editors integrate their chapters with previous writings on grandparenthood. Rather than technical or statistical research reports, each chapter provides a thought-provoking and comprehensive review of research, real-life case stories, cultural influences, and applied implications for grandparenthood across and within societies. Calling special attention to the roles of grandfathers and grandparenthood in societies previously un-represented in the literature, it provides several hundred new citations of work previously unavailable in English-language publications. Accessible to both scholars and students, it has several pedagogical features (e.g. web links, discussion questions) that make it useful as a text for upper-division undergraduate or graduate level classes in behavioral, social, and family sciences. It is relevant to psychology, gerontology, family studies, anthropology, family/comparative sociology, education, social work, gender studies, ethnic studies, psychiatry, and diversity and international studies programs. Practitioners, service providers, policymakers, and internationally minded grandparents will also enjoy this book.