Preparing Grandparents for a New Role

Abstract

Intergenerational programs are well established, but there is a void of educational support for grandparents. A series of discussions were held with 400 grandparents to identify learning needs associated with their changing family role. Outcomes were used to formulate a curriculum for helping grandparents become more influential and respected family members. Elements of the described curriculum include sharing feelings and ideas, listening to child perspective, studying life-span development, encouraging mutual storytelling, developing questioning skills, and focusing self-evaluation. When all aspects of the program are judged to be suitable, an experimental study is planned to determine whether grandparents can benefit from family-oriented education.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bengtson, V. , & Robertson, J. (Eds.). (1985). Grandparenthood. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1984). The changing family in a changing world. Peabody Journal of Education, 61(3), 52-70.

Butler, R. , & Gleason, H. (1985). Productive aging. New York : Springer.

Cherlin, A. , & Furstenberg, F. (1986). The new American grandparent . New York: Basic Books.

Euster, G. (1982). Serving older adults through institutions of higher education. Gerontology and Geriatrics, 3(1), 69-75.

Fowles, D. (Comp). (n.d.). A profile of older Americans: 1985. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, American Association of Retired Persons and the Administration on Aging.

Hagestad, G. , & Burton, L. (1986). Grandparenthood, life context and family development . American Behavioral Scientist, 29, 471-484.

Hegeman, C. (1986). Grandparents and children. Albany, NY: Foundation for Longterm Care.

Kornhaber, A. (1986). Between parents and grandparents. New York: St. Martin's.

10.

McCready, W. (1985). Styles of grandparenting among white ethnics. In V. Bengtson & J. Robertson (Eds.), Grandparenthood (pp. 49-60). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

11.

Neugarten, B. , & Weinstein, K. (1964). The changing American grandparent. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 26, 199-204.

12.

Peterson, D. (1983). Facilitating educationfor older learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

13.

Peterson, W. , & Quadagno, J. (1985). Social bonds in later life. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

14.

Pifer, A. , & Bronte, L. (1986). Our aging society. New York : Norton.

15.

Strom, R. , Bernard, H. , & Strom, S. (1987). Human development and learning. New York: Human Sciences.

16.

Tice, C. (1985). The states speak: A report on intergenerational initiatives. Ann Arbor, MI: New Age .

17.

Wolf, M. (1985). The experience of older learners in adult education . Lifelong Learning, 88(5), 8-11.