Researchers report that at some point more than one in ten grandparents raise a grandchild for at least six months. Typically, grandparents are caregivers for periods which are far longer. Grandparents who are caregivers tend to be women. The majority of grandparents raising their grandchildren are younger than age 65. They are prone to psychological and emotional strain as well as feelings of helplessness and isolation.
Many grandparents raising grandchildren face financial difficulties, too.
Grandparent caregivers often neglect their own physical and emotional health because they give priority to the needs of their grandchildren. Often the grandchildren in their care have unmet physical, emotional, and developmental needs that require special assistance. Grandparents raising grandchildren encounter problems that can require them to seek legal authority in order to make decisions on behalf of their grandchildren. Grandparents may need legal authority to get their grandchildren medical care, enrollment them in school, and to enable them to receive immunizations and vaccinations, public assistance, and supportive services. Grandparents can find themselves in need of respite services, affordable housing, and access to medical care.