Community grandparenting may promote the well-being of older adults. We examined the impact of non-kin and grandparental childcare on quality of life and loneliness using longitudinal data from 2653 older New Zealanders collected over 2 years. Providing both non-kin and grandparental childcare predicted greater self-realisation for women only and was associated with reduced levels of control and autonomy for men. Non-kin childcare was also associated with reduced social loneliness over time independent of gender. Findings suggest that non-kin grandparenting has psychosocial benefits for older adults. Surrogate grandparenting offers promising avenues for those without grandchildren to experience the benefits of grandparenting.
AemmiSZKarimi MoonaghiH (2017) Intergenerational learning program: A bridge between generations. International Journal of Pediatrics5(12): 6731–6739.
2.
AndersonNDDamianakisTKrögerE, et al. (2014) The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: A critical review and recommendations for future research. Psychological Bulletin140(6): 1505–1533.
3.
BarkerG (2014) A radical agenda for men’s caregiving. IDS Bulletin45(1): 85–90.
4.
BrownSLBrownRMPrestonSD (2011) The human caregiving system: A neuroscience model of compassionate motivation and behavior. In: BrownMRBrownSLPennerLA (eds) Moving beyond Self-Interest: Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology, Neuroscience, and the Social Sciences. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 75–88.
5.
BuffelTDe BackerFPeetersJ, et al. (2014) Promoting sustainable communities through intergenerational practice. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences116: 1785–1791.
6.
ChungSParkA (2017) The longitudinal effects of grandchild care on depressive symptoms and physical health of grandmothers in South Korea: A latent growth approach. Aging & Mental Health22: 1556–1563.
7.
CollomE (2008) Engagement of the elderly in time banking: The potential for social capital generation in an aging society. Journal of Aging & Social Policy20: 414–436.
8.
De Jong GierveldJVan TilburgT (2006) A 6-item scale for overall, emotional, and social loneliness – Confirmatory tests on survey data. Research on Aging28(5): 582–598.
9.
DonnellyKTwengeJMClarkMA, et al. (2016) Attitudes toward women’s work and family roles in the United States, 1976–2013. Psychology of Women Quarterly40(1): 41–54.
10.
DrewLMSilversteinM (2007) Grandparents’ psychological well-being after loss of contact with their grandchildren. Journal of Family Psychology21(3): 372–379.
11.
DurieMH (1999) Kaumātautange reciprocity: Māori elderly and whānau. New Zealand Journal of Psychology28: 102–106.
12.
ErlinghagenMHankK (2006) The participation of older Europeans in volunteer work. Ageing & Society26(4): 567–584.
13.
FrielingMADavisWRChiangG (2013) The SF-36v2 and SF-12v2 health surveys in New Zealand: Norms, scoring coefficients and cross-country comparisons. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health37(1): 24–31.
14.
FujiwaraYSakumaNOhbaH, et al. (2009) REPRINTS: Effects of an intergenerational health promotion program for older adults in Japan. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships7(1): 17–39.
15.
GonzalesEMatz-CostaCMorrow-HowellN (2015) Increasing opportunities for the productive engagement of older adults: A response to population aging. The Gerontologist55(2): 252–261.
16.
GrundyEMAlbalaCAllenE, et al. (2012) Grandparenting and psychosocial health among older Chileans: A longitudinal analysis. Aging & Mental Health16(8): 1047–1057.
17.
HarrisAHSThoresenCE (2005) Volunteering is associated with delayed mortality in older people: Analysis of the longitudinal study of aging. Journal of Health Psychology10(6): 739–752.
18.
HilbrandSCoallDAGerstorfD, et al. (2017) Caregiving within and beyond the family is associated with lower mortality for the caregiver: A prospective study. Evolution and Human Behavior38(3): 397–403.
19.
JarrottSEWeintraubAP (2009) Where have we been and where are we going? Content analysis of non-familial intergenerational research. The Gerontologist49: 324–324.
20.
JensenJSpittalMCrichtonS, et al. (2002) Direct Measurement of Living Standards: The New Zealand ELSI Scale. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development.
21.
KincadeJERabinerDJBernardSL, et al. (1996) Older adults as a community resource: Results from the national survey of self-care and aging. The Gerontologist36(4): 474–482.
22.
KwonMLeeCXiaoY, et al. (2019) Community currency activities, community attachment, and quality of life: A case study of the Crooked River Alliance of TimeBanks. Time & Society28(3): 1181–1220.
23.
LaskerJCollomEBealerT, et al. (2011) Time banking and health: The role of a community currency organization in enhancing well-being. Health Promotion Practice12: 102–115.
24.
LitwinHShiovitz-EzraS (2006) The association between activity and wellbeing in later life: What really matters?Ageing & Society26(2): 225–242.
25.
MahneKHuxholdO (2014) Grandparenthood and subjective well-being: Moderating effects of educational level. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences70(5): 782–792.
26.
Moeke-PickeringT (1996) Maori Identity within Whanau: A Review of Literature. Hamilton, New Zealand: University of Waikato.
27.
Ofahengaue VakalahiHFToafaSGMoalaKO (2008) Grandparenting in the Tongan community: A cultural model. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships6: 305–319.
28.
RobinsonDWilliamsT (2001) Social capital and voluntary activity: Giving and sharing in Māori and non-Māori society. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand17: 52–71.
29.
SextonEKing-KallimanisBLLayteR, et al. (2015) CASP-19 special section: How does chronic disease status affect CASP quality of life at older ages? Examining the WHO ICF disability domains as mediators of this relationship. Aging & Mental Health19(7): 622–633.
30.
SneedRSSchulzR (2017) Grandparent caregiving, race, and cognitive functioning in a population-based sample of older adults. Journal of Aging and Health1: 898264317733362.
31.
SommerDSamuelssonIPHundeideK (2010) Child Perspectives and Children’s Perspectives in Theory and Practice. Dordrecht: Springer.
32.
StephensCFlickU (2010) Health and ageing – Challenges for health psychology research. Journal of Health Psychology15(5): 643–648.
33.
SzaboAAllenJAlpassF, et al. (2019) Loneliness, socio-economic status and quality of life in old: The moderating role of housing tenure. Ageing & Society39: 998–1021.
34.
TowersAStevensonBBrehenyM, et al. (2017) Health, work, and retirement longitudinal study. In: PachanaN (ed.) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Singapore: Springer, pp. 1025–1033.
35.
TrevisanCPamioMVCurreriC, et al. (2018) The effect of childcare activities on cognitive status and depression in older adults: Gender differences in a 4.4-year longitudinal study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry33(2): 348–357.
36.
ViscogliosiCAsselinHBasileS, et al. (2017) A scoping review protocol on social participation of indigenous elders, intergenerational solidarity and their influence on individual and community wellness. BMJ Open7(5): e015931.
37.
WanHGoodkindDKowalP (2016) An Aging World: 2015. Washington, DC: US Census Bureau.
38.
WarburtonJChambersB (2007) Older Indigenous Australians: Their integral role in culture and community. Australasian Journal on Ageing26(1): 3–7.
WigginsRDNetuveliGHydeM, et al. (2008) The evaluation of a self-enumerated scale of quality of life (CASP-19) in the context of research on ageing: A combination of exploratory and confirmatory approaches. Social Indicators Research89(1): 61–77.
