Christine A. Fruhauf

Grandchildren's Perceptions of Caring for Grandparents

Despite the fact that caregiving related issues are well researched in the field of family gerontology, the developmental experiences of grandchildren caregivers and the meanings of their caregiving experiences have not been explored. Influenced by the lifespan perspective and a constructionism lens, interviews were conducted with 17 grandchildren (ages 21 to 29 years old) who were currently providing care for a grandparent. Grandchildren cargivers reported that filial obligation and preparing for the future were how they made sense of their role. Grandchildren experienced benefits and costs from their caregiving role and developed coping mechanisms that allowed them to be successful caregivers. Professionals should include grandchildren in established caregiver support programs to recognize the generational needs of grandchildren caregivers in their 20s.

Service-learners at dementia care programs:an intervention for improving contact, comfort, and attitudes.

Abstract Service-Learning can be a rewarding and challenging experience for students. One of the rewards for students can be the connection between their course work and real life experience. However, students interacting with populations with which they have limited prior experience face unique challenges. We developed a training program designed to facilitate comfort with older adults who have dementia for service-learners in a gerontology course who were serving at an Adult Day Services (ADS) program. Students in the course completed pre-and post-surveys assessing level of contact with older adults and attitudes on aging. Service-learners serving at the ADS comprised the treatment group (n = 5) while those serving at other S-L sites made up the control group (n = 11). Independent and paired sample t-tests indicated that the training program contributed to intra-individual and group differences in comfort working with older adults and with adults who are cognitively impaired. Differences in attitudes about older adults were also identified. Implications for adult development courses involving S-L at dementia care programs are discussed.

Aging Issues: Unanswered Questions in Marital and Family Therapy Literature.

Researchers have reviewed couple and family therapy journals to determine the extent to which issues concerning older populations are addressed. In an effort to extend previous work, we conducted content analyses of 957 articles published in three of the leading marital and family therapy journals between 1997 and 2006. From the articles, 27 (2.8%) mentioned aging or included older adults in their sample. Results indicate that the number of articles emphasizing older adults has not substantially increased. While this result has been substantiated by other researchers in previous years, a new finding in this study concerns the quality of articles on aging issues. The articles reviewed in this study indicated a greater focus on aging issues and addressing issues during this life cycle stage.

Grandparents Caregivers' Perceptions of Emotional Distress and Well-Being

Grandparents often become the primary caregivers for their grandchild(ren) with little or no prior notice. This familial change and added responsibility raises a number of concerns related to the overall emotional well-being for grandparent caregivers. Qualitative research using focus groups and face-to-face interviews with grandparent caregivers (N = 15) was conducted to better understand their perceptions of well-being in the context of raising grandchildren. Major themes identified included setting limits with adult children, responding to grandchildrens trauma, and resilience. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Coming-Out Process of Gay Grandfathers: Perceptions of Their Adult Children's Influence

The coming-out process of adolescent and adult gay and lesbian individuals has been examined; however, individuals in late adulthood who come out to family members have been largely overlooked. Specifically, the coming-out process of grandparents to their grandchildren has received scant attention. Guided by the life-course perspective, a qualitative study was conducted to examine the coming-out experiences of gay grandfathers to their grandchildren. Face-to-face, one-time, semi-structured interviews lasting 35 to 90 minutes with 11 grandfathers were conducted to examine their coming-out experiences to grandchildren. Grandfathers reported that their adult children played a profound role in their coming-out process to grandchildren. Adult children were viewed as being a positive force during this process, and grandfathers reported that coming out to their grandchildren was easier than coming out to their own children. Future research would benefit from understanding the grandparent-grandchild relationship from the perspectives of adult children and grandchildren.

Relationship Advice in the Top Selling Women's Magazine, Cosmopolitan: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACT Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, Cosmopolitan has represented womens rapidly changing lives, and today it is the largest selling young womens magazine in the world. Since its founding in 1886, Cosmopolitan has been a resource for millions of readers, providing information/advice on contemporary male/female relationships and sexuality. The purpose of this study is to analyze and interpret the content of contemporary intimate couple relationship advice in womens Cosmopolitan magazine over a one-year period. Findings indicate that women are consistently receiving stereotypic messages about relationships. One of the main messages women received about relationships was that they were responsible for changing men and themselves in order to improve and maintain couple relationships. Other messages were related to womens responsibility for decision-making and the couples responsibility in maintaining and improving the relationship.

Relationship Advice in Top-Selling Men's Magazines: A Qualitative Document Analysis

The bulk of mens magazines contain advice columns which counsel readers on relationships. The viewers heed the information provided to them and apply it to their own lives and relationships. As a result, it is imperative to study the relationship advice men are seeking in these magazines. The purpose of this study was to analyze the intimate relational content and advice contained in five top-selling mens interest magazines. Findings indicate the magazines contain messages consistent with stereotypic gender socialization which reinforce male masculinity. Sex was depicted as a top priority in relationships, and the sexual lives of men were portrayed as idealistic. Most advice was contrary to research on the formation of deep friendship and intimate relationships.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: What Have We Learned Over the Past Decade?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In this manuscript, we update the literature over the last decade in addressing several new content areas that have emerged in the grandfamilies literature, along with issues that are still important to understanding grandparents raising their grandchildren today. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The social science and gerontological literature since 2004 was accessed, reviewed, organized topically, and integrated, based upon an exhaustive PsychINFO literature search. RESULTS Our review indicates an ongoing and/or growing emphasis on (a) the strengths of grandparent raising grandchildren, (b) diversity among grandfamilies along a number of parameters, (c) the social-interpersonal, cultural, and policy-related contexts of grandfamilies, (d) process-focused research, (e) parenting, parenting skills, and family relationships, (f) grandparent psychological distress, (g) targets for and the efficacy of interventions with grandfamilies, and (h) methodological issues relevant to the study of grandfamilies. IMPLICATIONS We discuss the implications of our findings in terms of more completely understanding grandfamilies along a number of parameters, as well as presenting specific recommendations for future research and practice.

Fall-Prevention Pilot: Hazard Survey and Responses to Recommendations

This work reports a partial inventory of fall hazards for community-dwelling elders and characterizes older adult responses to fall prevention. Thirty-five seniors living in their homes participated in a fall-prevention initiative designed to identify hazards and make recommendations. Fifteen external hazards were identified and operationalized, and between one and four changes were reported per home in 18 of 22 homes, consistent with recommendations; however, most of the recommendations were unrelated to the cause of later participant falls. Considering the varied circumstances of falls in the community, we question the wisdom of designating specific risk posed by individual hazards and encourage future investigation on the merits of multifaceted evaluation and intervention including the consideration of combinations and interactions of hazards as well as raising caution and awareness.

Understanding Collaborative Efforts to Assist Grandparent Caregivers: A Multileveled Perspective

It is well known that grandparent caregivers often experience increased stress and strain as a result of raising grandchildren. Although specific interventions utilizing support groups, mental health counseling, educational programming, and respite care can be useful in supporting grandparents, collaborative efforts toward building partnerships among the community, service providers, and grandparents have even greater potential to assist grandparent caregivers in meeting their needs. Using the ecological perspective as a guiding framework, in this article the authors discuss contemporary programs while highlighting strategies to support grandparents raising grandchildren. These programs provide unique and innovative ways professionals can reach grandparents raising grandchildren.