Culture and Population: Feinian Chen

Increased life expectancy and substantially reduced Child mortality in most countries around the world mean that more and more people live to be grandparents and experience an extended period of grandparenthood.  Grandparents often provide care and assistance to their grandchildren. How can varied levels of care for grandchildren influence the well-being of grandparents?  Do the benefits of grandparenting (e.g., emotional reward and social support) outweigh the negative effects (e.g., psychological, physical, and financial strain) or vice versa?  These questions have become more important than ever in the 21st century, as grandparents are becoming more central to family life in many countries.  In the United States, grandparents are fulfilling more family functions as a response to marital instability and broader demographic shifts.  In China, grandparents caring for grandchildren are common for many families, reflected by a high level of coresidence between grandparents and grandchildren as well as extensive sharing of child care.  I present results from longitudinal analyses in China and U.S. and show that the health implications of grandparental caregiving are not universal but depend on the extent of care and normative contexts.

Papers Dr. Chen will be drawing on for this discussion :

• Journals of Gerontology : Health Implications for Grandparents taking care of Grandchildren in China
• Journals of Gerontology : Race / Ethnic Differentials in the Health Consequences of Caring for Grandchildren for Grandparents
• Social Forces : Intergenerational Ties in Context : Grandparents caring for Grandchildren in China

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