Helping grandchildren form strong relationships with grandparents can provide immense benefits.
As the saying goes, “What happens at Grandma’s stays at Grandma’s!” Being a grandparent is probably one of life’s greatest joys – a way to experience once again the pleasure of spending quality time and doting on the children in your life; only this time around, they’re your children’s children, and so the relationships are that much sweeter.
Grandparents Day is September 13 and it is an amazing time to think about the vital role grandparents play in the lives of grandkids, and the numerous emotional benefits grandkids receive when they can forge strong relationships with their grandparents – and, vice versa. For instance:
Positive Benefits for Grandchildren:
- A source of knowledge, influence, friendship, and mentoring.
- Greater cohesiveness and emotional support for the family.
- A connection to family heritage and legacy.
- Both physical and emotional support.
Positive Benefits for Grandparents:
- Enhanced mental wellbeing and socialization, including reduced rates of depression.
- A more vigorous lifestyle.
- The opportunity to provide moral guidance and to share values.
- The rewarding sense of making a difference in the lives of family, and to be needed and wanted.
A recent 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 four to five grandchildren.
- Nearly ¾ 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, nonetheless, several hurdles for grandparents to experience close relationships with their grandchildren, the largest being geographic distance. Over 50% of all grandparents are more than 200 miles away from at least one of their grandkids. And many seniors are choosing to continue to work later in life, leaving a reduced amount of time available for family.
To conquer these barriers, older adults are turning more and more to technology – something that’s become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when self-quarantining was crucial for seniors. As a result, FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom have become household terms, helping enhance bonds even when in-person time together isn’t a possibility.
If you’d like to explore suggestions for helping enhance relationships with grandparents, let the experts at Absolute Companion Care, help! Our innovative caregiving team can provide safe, accompanied transportation for family visits (no matter the distance!), prepare meals and take care of housekeeping chores to allow seniors to dedicate quality time to their grandkids, and much more.
Reach out to us any time at 410-357-9640 to discover how an in-home caregiver from Absolute Companion Care can assist senior loved ones live the best possible life. Ask about our trusted senior care in Sparks and the surrounding communities and schedule a complimentary assessment, within the comfort of home, today!