Grandparents Who Provide Auxiliary Care for Their Grandchildren: Satisfaction, Difficulties, and Impact on Their Health and Well-being

Abstract

The paper is focused on grandparents who offer auxiliary care to their grandchildren. The objectives were twofold: (a) examining the satisfaction and difficulties that grandparents who provide auxiliary care drew from that task; (b) determining to what extent different care-related variables (such as the intensity of the type of provided care) and the perception of satisfaction and difficulties predict grandparent’s health and well-being. The sample was made up of 312 grandparents whose age ranged from 46 to 91. They cared for at least one grandchild whose age was 12 years or less for 10 hours a week or more. Data were gathered by means of a self-administered questionnaire designed by the researchers. As well as sociodemographic variables, the questionnaire included questions related to the intensity and type of care provided, grandchildren’s behavioral problems, satisfaction and difficulties drew from caring, health, and well-being. Results indicated that auxiliary care for grandchildren is more a source of positive emotions and an opportunity to establish a rewarding affective relationship than a burden or a stressing responsibility. Intensity and type of care provided did not have any significant effect on grandparents’ health and well-being. In contrast, the perception of care-related difficulties did predict lower levels of health and well-being among grandparents.

KEYWORDS:

• grandparenting
• well-being
• health
• grandparents childcare
• satisfaction with care