Who’ll care for them in the event of me dying? Custodial grandparents’ incapacity, mortality, and succession care-plan fears for their custodial grandchild/ren
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Intergenerational Relationships
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
29269
Abstract
Custodial grandparents are a vulnerable and marginalised group within society. A total of 110 these custodial grandparents took part in a mixed-method (qualitative interview and quantitative survey) research project. Of these, 22 participated in a semi-structured interview, 27 participated in an interview and completed a Grandcarer Needs, Wellbeing and Health Survey, and 61 completed a survey only. Data were subjected to conventional, summative and directed content analysis. The results reveal that while a few custodial grandparents have a viable succession plan for their custodial grandchildren’s care post their incapacitation or demise, the majority do not. Indeed, many custodial grandparents have such a conflictual (or no) relationship with not only their offspring, but also their extended family members, coupled with a deep distrust of the foster-care system that their succession (Plan B) care options for their custodial grandchild are limited. The prevailing plan being not to die before their grandchild/ren reach maturity. The health implications of raising grandchildren without a viable succession plan are discussed.
DOI
10.1080/15350770.2018.1535344
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Taylor, M. F., Coall, D. A., & Karthigesu, S. (2019). Who’ll care for them in the event of me dying? Custodial grandparents’ incapacity, mortality, and succession care-plan fears for their custodial grandchild/ren. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 17(2), 178-200. Available here