Grandmothers' Diaries: A Glimpse at Daily Lives

Abstract

Little information exists about the daily lives of women who are grandmothers, and the differences in daily stresses based on caregiving status to grandchildren. This content analysis examines the stresses of 64 grandmothers as grouped by caregiver status (grandmothers raising grandchildren, grandmothers living in multigeneration homes, non-caregivers to grandchildren) as recorded in three-week diaries. The nature of salient issues and stressful interactions differed by caregiver groups. Grandmothers raising grandchildren reported more stresses related to grandchildren's routines, activities, and school progress, more time pressure, and difficult interactions with grandchildren. The diary entries of grandmothers in multigenerational homes reflected their supplemental role in childcare, and sometimes stressful interactions with other family members. Grandmothers with no routine caregiving to grandchildren reported more involvement with those outside the immediate family. Many general concerns about the well-being of the family represent commonalities in grandmothers despite differences in current caregiving roles to grandchildren.

How Caregiving for Grandchildren Affects Grandmothers’ Meaningful Occupations

“…Part-time or non-caregiving grandmothers, regardless of health status, had higher life satisfaction than those with full-time caregiving (Bowers & Myers). Musil and Standing (2005) also found that part-time caregiving was welcomed, and these women had the highest level of satisfaction. Spontaneity in occupational engagement is no longer as easy for caregiving grandparents because they must take care of grandchildren's needs first.…”

“…Musil and Standing (2005) examined the daily lives of grandmothers and resultant stress based on four differing caregiving dimensions and found more stress with increasing caregiving responsibility for grandchildren. They did not directly look at caregiving's influence on meaningful occupations and their link to well-being.…”

“…The impact of these types of responsibilities on grandmothers' health and life satisfaction has been studied very little and is an area of interest as the grandmothers' age, especially with the increase in later child bearing age in some populations. Two grandmothers reported in the recent study by Musil and Standing (2005) that caring for babies is becoming more difficult as they get older.…”

“…Recent studies have expanded the understanding of grand parenting, especially in custodial and co-parenting situations, with an emphasis on elder stress and life satisfaction (Dowdell, 2004;Goodman & Silverstein, 2002;Musil, 1998;Musil & Standing, 2005;Reitzes & Mutran, 2004;Sands & GoldbergGlen, 2000;Waldrop, 2003). Some studies found that grandchildren, in some instances, may be important sources of meaning and practical support for their grandparents, and caregiving for grandchildren may be a significant positive social role for older adults (Heller, 1993;Musil & Standing).…”

“…Some studies found that grandchildren, in some instances, may be important sources of meaning and practical support for their grandparents, and caregiving for grandchildren may be a significant positive social role for older adults (Heller, 1993;Musil & Standing).…”