Grandparents Caregivers' Perceptions of Emotional Distress and Well-Being

Abstract

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 grandchildren's trauma, and resilience. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• kinship care
• grandparents raising grandchildren
• qualitative research

Acknowledgments

This research project was funded by the Scholarship Advancement Award administered by the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University.