Catherine Chase Goodman

Grandmothers Who Parent Their Grandchildren An Exploratory Study of Close Relations Across Three Generations

Grandparents raising grandchildren is a growing phenomenon born of serious parent difficulties such as drug addiction, child abuse, and neglect. This study focuses on grandmother well-being and the configuration of close relationships across an intergenerational triad consisting of grandmother, parent, and grandchild. Grandmothers who played a linking role in the family and had strong ties to both other generations had greater life satisfaction than grandmothers in most other triad types. Bradburn Affect Balance Scales showed no differences across types. There may be advantages for caregiving grandmothers to have close relationships with both younger generations even when parent-child bonds are weak.

Latina Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Acculturation and Psychological Well-Being

Grandparent involvement in raising grandchildren has become increasingly prevalent and represents the familys strength for managing crises and transitions. This study examined acculturation, socioeconomic resources, and family factors related to well-being among 357 Latina caregiving grandmothers. Positive affect was related to greater language acculturation and factors suggesting participation in mainstream society—income and health. In contrast, higher life satisfaction and lower negative affect were more evident among the less acculturated. These relationships disappeared with controls, explained by greater social resources among less acculturated grandmothers: more were married and had the parent at home; fewer assumed care because of the parents substance-related problems. The parents presence in the household was related to a higher level of grandmothers well-being until more sensitive family factors were considered. Furthermore, raising grandchildren with behavior problems was related to the grandmothers negative affect. Results suggest that professions should target economic needs of new immigrants, as well as assisting with troubled grandchildren and dysfunctional parents.

Intergenerational Triads in Skipped-Generation Grandfamilies

The past decades have seen growth in numbers of children raised by grandparents without their parent at home, called skipped-generation grandfamilies. This mixed methods study examined statements made by 459 grandmothers about core family relationships between grandmother and child, grandmother and parent, and parent and child. Families were grouped into intergenerational triad types based on patterns of closeness: all close relationships (triple-bonded), two close relationships (double-bonded), one close relationship (single-bonded), or weak relationships between all three family members (not-bonded). Well-being declined steadily for grandmothers from highest in triple-bonded, to lowest in not-bonded families, reflecting their high stake in all three core relationships. For grandchildren, well-being was low when the child failed to bond firmly to either grandmother or parent. On the other hand, children did well if they were close to their grandmother, even when substance abusing parents were emotionally isolated in the family, suggesting resilient children overcome parental neglect when provided with good grandparent care.

Family Dynamics in Three-Generation Grandfamilies:

Grandparent-headed families, called grandfamilies, are increasingly important in assisting adult children and grandchildren. This study (N = 376) provides a qualitative analysis of statements made by grandmothers about relationships between three core family members: (a) grandmother, (b) parent, and (c) grandchild. These family members constitute an intergenerational triad, displaying a variety of relationship patterns based on emotional closeness or distance. The most common configuration in three-generation families was all-three inter-generational members emotionally close or connected, and comments about relationships reflected problem solving, communication, and emotional management. Families in which the parent was close to and linked both adjacent generations were also frequent, and comments showed a clear parenting hierarchy with grandmother as secondary. Few families had weak, disconnected relationships between all three triad members or an emotionally isolated parent: These patterns were related to low grandmother and grandchild well-being. Evaluating intergenerational relationships aids identification of at-risk grandfamilies and has implications for family interventions.

The State of Gerontological Social Work Education in California: Implications for Curricula Evaluation

California has actively engaged in the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative. Subsequently, the California Social Work Education Center Aging Initiative conducted a university survey of gerontology education in California graduate social work schools (N = 17). In 2005, students taking aging courses were 12% in comparison to a national report of 7% by the Council on Social Work Education and an earlier 1993 national survey of 3%. Still, the number of gerontology students remains less than needed numbers. However, California social work schools are well-prepared with infused curricula for all social workers and exceed previous standards for gerontology faculty and aging field placements. The implications for California are discussed as well as recommendations for updating the earlier gerontology curricula criteria.

Building on the Life-Span Perspective: A Model for Infusing Geriatric Social Work

Summary The growth in the older adult population and the demand for better trained geriatric social workers challenge the existing curricula of social work programs. The Geriatric Enrichment Grant funded by the John A. Hartford foundation has provided financial support for curricular reform. Curriculum reform is a challenging undertaking at any level. Each program and educational institution experiences the process of curriculum reform in unique ways. This paper describes one programs experience of curriculum reform for the purpose of infusing geriatric content.

Th Elderly Frail:: Who Should Get Case Management?

Case management for the elderly can narrowly target those entering nursing homes; or it can widely target community frail who would benefit from services to maintain themselves at home. This paper describes a Case Management Model Project serving a wide population of moderately frail elderly. In spite of some demonstrated benefits, the cost of case management for this group is high. Development of in-home supportive services (housekeeping, errands, personal care) is presented as the first priority for the moderately frail and a prerequisite for case management.