ISSN 2348-1218 (print) International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations ISSN 2348-1226 (online) Vol. 10, Issue 1, pp: (27-31), Month: January - March 2022, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTIONS FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN Dr. Anita Sharma Ph.D., LCSW Gerontology Program Director, University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, Louisiana, United States of America
Abstract: The author initiated a multidisciplinary healthcare education and wellness-awareness program for an under-served population consisting of grandparents who become the primary caregivers of their grandchildren (or great-grandchildren) due to a dysfunctional family constellation. The Program was called the “GRG” Program. The program consisted of 50 weekly educational workshops for the grandparents with free childcare included. Six workshops included the grandchildren whose grandparents were participating in this program. A team of following professionals provided workshops to the participants: a social worker (the author/program director), a geriatrician, a social media and computer technology professional, a pediatrician, and a geriatric group coordinator. Evaluations conducted at the end of the program indicated that the participants reported lower stress levels and greater coping skills. Keywords: Grandparents, grandchildren, stress, dysfunctional families, abused children.
I. INTRODUCTION Over 2.7 million grandparents in the US report being primary caretakers for their grandchildren [1]. It is estimated that only one in 20 children raised by grandparents are in the formal foster care system, limiting the grandparents' access to the financial, health, and social service resources offered to licensed foster parents [2],[3],[4]. Grandparents take on the responsibility of raising grandchildren for a number of reasons, including stressful family situations, parental incarceration, child abuse/neglect, physical and mental illness, substance abuse, and military deployment [5], [6]. Grandparents who raise grandchildren need education, resources, and support to cope with an unplanned responsibility at an older age. Grandparents who care for their grandchildren in the absence of biological parents and who have little or no support from others report greater stress and depressive symptoms [7], [8]. They face many challenges, such as emotional and social isolation, stigma, a lack of support from formal and informal systems, and limited access to services [9], [10]. This paper provides a description of an innovative multidisciplinary health and wellness program, called the “GRG Program,” conducted by the author for an underserved population of grandparents raising grandchildren or greatgrandchildren. The program was conducted in the year before the onset of the pandemic COVID-19. Due to the social restrictions imposed by the pandemic, a follow-up study could not be conducted to assess the effects of the pandemic on the ability of the grandparents to raise their grandchildren. However, some grandparents continued to stay in touch with the author through e-mails and the social media.
II. METHODOLOGY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM Pilot Small Group Program Prior to planning and organizing this program, the author conducted a six-week pilot group program for grandparents raising grandchildren to assess the need for a bigger, more comprehensive, longer-term program. The group consisted of nine grandparents and one great-grandparent. At initial assessment, high levels of stress and unexpressed depression and grief were found among group members that had not been identified and addressed by their healthcare providers. Several
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