Who’ll Care for Them in the Event of Me Dying? Custodial Grandparents’ Incapacity, Mortality, and Succession Care-Plan Fears for Their Custodial Grandchild/ren

ABSTRACT

Custodial grandparents are a vulnerable and marginalised group within society. A total of 110 these custodial grandparents took part in a mixed-method (qualitative interview and quantitative survey) research project. Of these, 22 participated in a semi-structured interview, 27 participated in an interview and completed a Grandcarer Needs, Wellbeing and Health Survey, and 61 completed a survey only. Data were subjected to conventional, summative and directed content analysis. The results reveal that while a few custodial grandparents have a viable succession plan for their custodial grandchildren’s care post their incapacitation or demise, the majority do not. Indeed, many custodial grandparents have such a conflictual (or no) relationship with not only their offspring, but also their extended family members, coupled with a deep distrust of the foster-care system that their succession (Plan B) care options for their custodial grandchild are limited. The prevailing plan being not to die before their grandchild/ren reach maturity. The health implications of raising grandchildren without a viable succession plan are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Custodial grandparents
• grandchildren
• mortality fears
• succession planning
• care transition barriers

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the contributions of Rachel Batten, Ruth Marquis, and Jenni Werner to the completion of the research.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by ECU Industry Collaboration Grant: [Grant Number G1001700].

Notes on contributors

Myra F. Taylor

Dr Myra F. Taylor (PhD, MPhil, MSoc Sc, BGE) is a highly-experienced Research Fellow working in Edith Cowan University’s School of Medical and Health Sciences. Her research focus over the last 18 years has been on intergenerational family functioning (parents [mothers and fathers] grandparents, & children), domestic violence, parental separation, child and adolescent emotional development, youth subcultures, adolescent pathways into crime and the effect early onset offending has on the family and society. This research builds on her international expertise in the areas of childhood and adolescent learning and behavioural disorders. Myra is a widely published author and editor in these fields.

David A. Coall

Dr David A. Coall (PhD), Senior Lecturer in the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University and Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Medicine at the University of Western Australia. His research focuses on health and behaviour within families with a particular focus on inter-generational effects such as the influence grandparents have on family functioning and grandchild development. Over the past 10 years Coall has developed expertise in both theoretical and applied grandparent research through local and international collaborations.

Shantha Karthigesu

Shantha Karthigesu (MSc, BEd, BSc) PhD Candidate at Edith Cowan University’s School of Medical and Health Sciences. Her current research explores the perceived influence of grandparents on parents’ infant feeding decisions and paediatric vaccine use. The thesis builds on her previous research in Canada evaluating grandmothers’ influence on breastfeeding decisions by mothers from South Asian countries.