If you are past the first blush of youth and find yourself appending "y" to the ends of your words -- socky, blanky, shoesy, potty -- then you may be one of the 6.2 million grandparents that U.S. Census figures show are caring for their grandchildren, either full or part time.
The numbers are rising, with a 64 percent increase over the last two decades of grandchildren living with their grandparents.
Carol Morello, in a 2010 Washington Post news article, reports upon a Pew Research Center study that finds one out of 10 American children are being raised by their grandparents. While the increase has been generally slow and steady, the Recession of 2008 provoked a spike in the numbers, with the result that households made up of more than one generation -- like grandparents raising their grandkids -- are at a higher level than they have been since the mid-half of the 20th century.
Economics alone are not to blame, Morello points out, with grandparents stepping in to take over for young relatives who might otherwise find themselves in the foster care system. Increased military deployments, as well, find grandparents shouldering renewed added responsibilities.
Regardless of why grandparents are picking up renewed parental duties at a time when they were planning to focus on travel or hobbies or general retirement, they are doing so in increasing numbers, and as those numbers increase, so do the resources available to the caretakers.
If you are part of this growing demographic, you are not alone, and a myriad of private and public organizations are available with answers to yuour questions, links to helpful sites, and just general encouragement:
- AARP's Grandcare Support Locator connects grandparent caretakers with federal, state, and local groups and resources, spanning financial, legal, medical, and social services. This easily navigable site is a superb place to start your search for more information.
- USA.gov Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is another resource for finding assistance in your state and local area. It also provides links to guides, publications, and tips.
- The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) site is the starting point for caretaking grandparents whose income is too high to be eligible for state Medicaid programs, but too low to manage private coverage.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit is available to workers of a certain income level who care for dependents that stay in their home for a period of longer than six months a year.
- Grandparenting.org provides a collection of odds and ends, some fun, some serious, for light reading and education.
Carolyn Henderson - Carolyn Henderson writes about life, lifestyle, home, family, education and art. She is the manager of Steve Henderson Fine Art.
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