204837 Custodial Grandparenting:The impact of grandparent health and psychosocial stressors on caregiver families

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 9:30 AM

Juanita Williams, CMSW , Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Belinda Tate Hardy, MPA, LCSW , Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Carolyn Graff, PhD , Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
  
Custodial grandparents have increased health challenges as opposed to non-custodial grandparents, as evidenced from a cross-sectional, comparative study of 180 custodial and non-custodial grandparents. Data was collected on health-related difficulties such as diabetes, hypertension, mobility and heart problems. Study results indicate that grandparent caregivers report more depressive feelings, greater difficulty with arthritis, hypertension, and headaches than their non custodial counterparts. The effective management of the caregiver's health care needs impacts the overall functioning of the family system. Along with family preservation, one goal of the Relative Caregiver program is to provide psychosocial interventions to support caregivers who are at risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes. The protective factors which impact positive family relations among these families will be discussed. T his information is vital to public health policy development and programs which promote the sustainability of healthy families

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the results off the Grandparent Health Study which compared the health care needs of 180 grandparent caregivers vs.non grandparent caregivers Identify the protective factors which impact positive family relations,such as grandparent resilency,and support networks Explain the psycho-social interventions employed with grandparent caregivers to address stressors associated with relative care giving

Keywords: Coping, Health Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Director of the Shelby County Relative caregiver Program
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Child, Adolescent, and Family Health
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