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A new generation of young people is stepping up to help their aging and ill family members. Although the Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 report found that the average age of family caregivers (49.2 years old) remains essentially unchanged since the last report in 2015, the data also reveal that 24 percent of informal caregivers are between the ages of 18 and 34. Millennials and members of Generation Z are aging into the caregiving role. While most caregivers ages 18 to 49 are caring for a parent or in-law, 17 percent report taking care of grandparents or grandparents-in-law.


Why Are More Grandchildren Caring for Grandparents?


Family and household composition have changed a great deal over recent decades. Many of these young caregivers have lived with or been raised by their grandparents. For example, a 2021 report published by Generations United found that more than one in four Americans (26 percent) are living in a household with 3 or more generations. In other instances, a grandchild becomes the primary caregiver because he or she lives nearer to the elder than other family members. Sometimes, it’s simply because a particular grandchild feels close to the grandparent and has the so-called “caregiver personality.”


There are countless factors that influence why a grandchild might become the primary caregiver for one or both grandparents, but the underlying reason for this is usually that the elder’s own adult children are not willing, able or alive to assume this role.


Younger Caregivers Face Significant Challenges


Few people with first-hand experience caring for an elder would describe it as an easy job. But, consider the fact that most family caregivers are age 50 or older. They were probably able to enjoy their teenage and early adult years, eventually joining the workforce, learning to fend for themselves, getting married and raising children. What I’m trying to convey is that the average family caregiver has a few decades’ worth of knowledge, adult living and real-world experience under their belt.


Undoubtedly, many younger caregivers are mature for their age, but they are also still relatively green across the board. Most aren’t intimately familiar with the various indignities that come with getting older. They aren’t aware of the importance of legal and financial planning for the future or what documents they’ll need to help manage an elder’s care. It’s unlikely they understand how to navigate our complex health care system or the intricacies of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, VA benefits and other important government programs for seniors.


Middle-aged caregivers can often look to their established network of friends, colleagues or other professionals like attorneys, physicians or financial advisors for guidance in these matters and referrals to helpful resources. Most of these people are likely to have some sort of personal caregiving experience or expertise that relates to elder care.


The same cannot be said for caregivers in their 20s. Their friends are in college, working odd jobs or starting careers. They have active social lives and can go out for some fun at a moment’s notice. Perhaps they’re even getting married, settling down and starting families. Caregiving, however, probably isn’t even on their radar at this young age.


A grandchild who is taking care of Grandma and/or Grandpa may also be juggling school, work or both. Unlike their peers, though, any “extra” time they have is spent managing medications, assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs), driving to doctor’s appointments, cooking meals, doing laundry and spending time with their grandparent(s). These young people are on the same 24/7 emotional rollercoaster that we older caregivers find so exhausting, but they have far fewer understanding peers from whom they can get support.


After too many “Sorry, but I have to take care of Grandma” excuses, friends stop calling.

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My husband and I fall into this category. We currently have his 82 yr old grandmother under our care after my husband’s mother tricked her into signing over POA when her husband died…. Then subsequently set to work draining her life savings. We had no choice but to step in. We have 4 children of our own, 2 teenagers and 2 under 2. It’s a literal disaster and not something we asked for.
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I don't know all the "whys" of it, but I surely do think it's an awful idea.

My guess is that more folks are living (tho not WELL) to the age of 100 who have kids nearing 80 and unwilling/unable to care for them.
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The fact that more and more kids seem to be going to college with huge loans they cannot pay on the salary of the job they get on graduation.

Somehow this all ends up with "Why don't you move in with granny and gramps and help them out and you can live rent free".
Eventually the kid who has no job history and no experience with a job and with living alone, ends up homeless sometime in their 30s. With aging parents to boot.

Kind of scary to tell the truth. Not a good cycle and one that hits the middle and lower classes in much greater numbers. That is to say, if we even HAVE a middle class any more. My mom used to claim we were losing it. I argued with her all the time telling her "EVERYONE we know is middle class. You are. I am. Your son (my bro) is. All your friends are." I am 81 now and I am starting to think we are losing our middle class; she was right all along (ah, that Francie. She was almost ALWAYS right).
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I’ve encountered some grandchildren doing the caregiving for a grandparent through my current job. I’d like to report it was for altruistic reasons, but what I’ve seen is different. It’s more like a young person at loose ends, floundered in their education or career aspirations, and taking on the role essentially for free housing and some pay, for lack of other plans or ideas of what to do. I’m very sure this isn’t always, or even nearly always, the case, but have found it a number of times. Seems like a recipe for trouble
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I haven’t read the article but I think it’s incredibly sad when a grandchild is caring for a grandparent. They should be living their own lives and planning for their future.
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Seems like you are referring to this article

https://www.agingcare.com/articles/grandchildren-caring-for-their-grandparents-149490.htm

Most of the articles on AgingCare are quite old and contributors like Carol Bradley Bursack have not been active here for several years, but since this one actually mentions data from 2021 it has to have been recently updated.
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