More and more grandparents are finding themselves in the role of primary caregiver to their grandchildren. According to the 2000 Census, in Detroit alone, over seventeen thousand grandparents are raising their children’s children.
Unfortunately, many of the grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren are unprepared for this huge responsibility. Most of them take in their grandchildren because they love them and want to provide stability in their lives. But, in doing so, many of these grandparents are using their retirement savings or their income from social security to support their grandchildren.
But there is help for these non-traditional families. Detroit Area Agency on Aging has spearheaded the “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” Committee – comprised Detroit Area Agency on Aging, Detroit Senior Citizens Department, Adult Well Being, Neighbor Services Organization, The Family Independence Agency, The Family Place,
Catholic Social Services and grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.
The objective the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Committee is to provide custodial grandparents with the information on the resources available to help them as they provide for their families. The committee also raises the awareness among the overall community that we have a large number of these “non-traditional” families, and that they need the support of the community as they take on this huge task.
Says Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Chair, Juanita Bridgewater, “As a grandmother who is also the legal guardian of my grandson, I know first-hand the issues that grandparents who raise their grandchildren must combat on a daily basis. Becoming a parent again can stress a grandparent’s emotional, financial and social well-being.”
Last year, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Committee held its first annual “Grandparents Celebration” in recognition of National Grandparents Day. Children raised by their grandparents were invited to participate in an essay contest describing why their grandparents should be honored. All entrants and their grandparents were invited to a special recognition luncheon and the winners were awarded gift certificates to local shops. This year’s Grandparents Celebration will be held on September 13th at the Charles A. Wright African American Museum.
The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren committee also kicked-off its first annual “Going Beyond Expectations” forum in the summer of 2003. This forum provided grandparents with the opportunity to meet with representatives from state agencies and local organizations who offer programs and services for family caregivers who are responsible for minors.
Detroit Area Agency on Aging also funds grandparents raising grandchildren programs at two local agencies, Adult Well Being and The Neighborhood Services Organization. These agencies offer support and services for custodial grandparents. Utilizing state funds allocated to support caregivers funds these programs.
Grandparents left with the responsibility for the welfare of their grandchildren are often faced with a situation that tests all their resources at a time when they can least afford it. The Detroit Area Agency on Aging is working to assist these grandparents and provide them with the support they need in order to maintain their family and their wellbeing.
For more information on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, call the Detroit Area Agency on Aging at 313-446-4444.