The important role of grandparents cannot be overstated in the lives of grandchildren.
As the saying goes, “What happens at Grandma’s stays at Grandma’s!” Being a grandparent is probably one of life’s greatest joys – the opportunity to experience once again the satisfaction of spending quality time and doting on the children in your life; only this time around, they are your children’s children, so the relationships are that much sweeter.
Grandparents Day is September 13 and it’s an ideal time to think on the important role of grandparents in the lives of grandchildren, and also the many emotional benefits grandchildren receive when they can forge a powerful bond with their grandparents – and, vice versa. For instance:
Benefits for Grandkids:
- A source of wisdom, influence, mentoring, and friendship.
- Greater emotional support and cohesiveness for the family.
- A connection to family heritage and legacy.
- Both emotional and physical support.
Benefits for Grandparents:
- Increased mental wellbeing and socialization, including lower rates of depression.
- A more energetic lifestyle.
- The chance to deliver moral guidance and also to share values.
- The rewarding feeling of making an impact in the lives of their family, and to be needed and wanted.
A recently available AARP report shares some interesting facts surrounding the grandparent-grandchild relationship:
- By the age of 65, an astounding 96% of individuals are grandparents. And with our population of older adults exploding with growth, by the year 2030, 20% of all Americans will be 65 or older.
- Grandparents have an average of 4 to 5 grandchildren.
- Nearly three-quarters of all 8-year-olds within the U.S. will also have a living great-grandparent by the year 2030.
- 10% of grandparents live with their grandchildren, and 5% are primary caregivers.
There are, nevertheless, several hurdles for grandparents to enjoy close relationships with their grandchildren, the most significant being geographic distance. More than 50% of all grandparents live more than 200 miles away from one or more of their grandchildren. And quite a few seniors are opting to continue to work later in life, leaving less time available for family.
To conquer these barriers, older adults are turning increasingly to technology – something that has become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when self-quarantining was crucial for senior loved ones. Because of this, Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom have grown to be household terms, helping strengthen bonds even when in-person time together is not a possibility.
If you would like to discover recommendations for enhancing a grandparent/grandchild relationship, let Anthem Home Care, experts on elderly care in Corpus Christi and the surrounding areas, help. Our creative caregiving team can provide safe, accompanied transportation for family visits (regardless of distance!), prepare meals and look after housekeeping chores to permit seniors to dedicate quality time for you their grandchildren, and a whole lot more. Contact us any time at 361-643-2323 to learn more about how our care team can help you.