The Beneficial Effects of Senior Center Attendance on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

La Trica Rhynes, Bert Hayslip, Daniela Caballero, Stan Ingman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore the effects of attendance at a senior center on the well-being and quality of life of grandparents raising grandchildren. Grandparents (N = 130) who were raising grandchildren completed a self-administered demographic data survey, an attendance at a senior center questionnaire, and measures of quality of life, well-being, loneliness, caregiver burden, and satisfaction. A MANOVA suggested that senior center attendance impacted the previously mentioned measures as a set. Subsequent one-way ANOVAs revealed that attendance at a senior center positively impacted grandparent caregivers' quality of life, caregiver burden, well-being, and role satisfaction. These findings indicate that grandparents who are raising minor grandchildren can indeed benefit from services offered through senior centers. They also underscore the challenges that remain in educating grandparent caregivers about the potential of senior centers to support them in raising their grandchildren.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)162-175
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Intergenerational Relationships
Volume11
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

Keywords

  • grandparent caregivers
  • grandparents raising grandchildren
  • quality of life
  • senior center
  • well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Archaeology
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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