Authors

Angélica Orb

Position

RN PhD, Senior lecturer, Division of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology.

Contact address

Division of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology.

Contact email: angelicaorb@yahoo.com.au

Abstract

The current role of grandparents is changing due to the problems that some families have and, also, because the number of grandparents looking after their grandchildren is increasing. The objective of this paper is to describe the perceptions of grandparents who bring up their grandchildren in a permanent manner.
A qualitative study was carried out by means of in depth interviews of 17 grandparents, pertaining to a community association in Western Australia.
The results showed that grandparents are under permanent stress, with physical, emotional, social and economic affectation. Grandparents indicated that their life style had changed and in order to bear and sustain that responsibility had had to resort to social and economic support. Grandparents who assume the responsibility to bring up their grandchildren need greater attention on the part of administrators of health policies to improve the care of the elderly and their families.
This article emphasises the importance to provide grandparents caring for their grandchildren access to counselling and well-being services.

Keywords:

grandparents; grandchildren; family problems; community health; Geriatric Nursingsocio-sanitary

Versión en Español

Título:

Cambios sociales y experiencias de los abuelos australianos: abuelos contemporáneos