IndexHow Strengths and Risk Factors Affect Their LivesRights/Implications/Role of Social WorkersConclusionHaving grandchildren should be an experience to storybook with snapshots of laughter and hugs, the pleasure of indulging little ones with gifts and extra portions of dessert before returning them to mom and dad. But for a growing number of grandparents, joyful appointments with their grandchildren have been replaced by the responsibility of caring for their children full time. Doctors and other health care providers are only now beginning to realize that these demands are taking a toll on the health of many grandparents. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Grandparents raising grandchildren face unique stressors, which are quite common when dealing with this population. An example of a stressor evident in both videos was the financial burden this causes on these families. The Douthitts family, after years of fighting for custody of their grandchildren, faces expensive court costs and attorney fees amounting to thousands upon thousands of dollars. After nearly losing their home to foreclosure, they are still struggling to survive. The financial burden doesn't stop there for the Douthitts, they also pay for therapy and tutoring, to meet the needs of their three grandchildren. Although Cathy was able to return to work unlike most grandparents, she was not financially stable enough to take in all six grandchildren, which took a toll on her emotionally. Daycare was a huge expense for Cathy as she sought financial support to help raise her three grandchildren. The problem isn't just that grandparents are exhausted chasing little ones and juggling after-school activities. Grandparents suffer from problems such as depression, anxiety, hypertension, alcoholism and stroke. Doctors link these problems to the stress of being a parent again, this time in much more difficult circumstances than the first time. The increase in the number of grandparents raising grandchildren is primarily due to high rates of parental substance abuse; child abuse, neglect or abandonment, and divorce. These social problems leave their mark on children in the form of depression, grief, learning disabilities and other special needs, which add to the financial and emotional strain on grandparents. This is the case that Cathy faces with her daughter, which leads her to take care of her grandchildren full time. Using role strain theory and socioemotional selectivity theory will help examine how grandparents experience caregiving strain. How Strengths and Risk Factors Affect Their Lives Some grandparents are pushed to survive until their grandchildren grow up and take better care of themselves than before they became healthcare workers, which is seen as a strength. Approaching your health issues with a new desire to heal, the risk here is the number of stressors present. Some grandparents will benefit from seeking doctors' help in managing stress. This impacts grandparental caregivers as a group with particular health risks, who for this reason become self-advocates using their grandchildren to help them do better. Cathy found the courage to return to work, mourn the loss of her pension, and risk her health to raise her grandchildren. However, thanks to this he gained coping skills, self-determination and empowerment. This transition had some negative impacts, but it brought her closerto her family and gave her new connections through support groups. Cathy lost all her old friends, but created a whole new community full of support around her and her grandchildren. Grandparents who raise grandchildren demonstrate resilience in overcoming these obstacles to better themselves and those around them. Rights/implications/role of social workers Laws vary from state to state when dealing with grandparents raising grandchildren. Due to changes in laws, this forces grandparents who want the best for their grandchildren to seek legal assistance, which is not cheap. Along with this there are implications, there is a focus on prioritizing grandparents as caregivers because it is assumed that they are willing and able to provide. Florida discourages grandparents from trying to gain custody of their grandchildren, even when the grandchildren are suffering in dire circumstances. Florida, however, allows grandparents to take custody in certain situations, all of which require expensive court cases. The Douthitt family was forced to sue for custody, and Cathy was also forced to fight for guardianship because her grandchildren were taken away from their parents. Create pressure on families through intensity, making the problem seem detrimental to the family's existence. Although grandparents are given priority, unless the parent is deceased it becomes difficult to obtain custody, especially in the state of Florida. As stated previously, some grandparents, when they become care providers for their grandchildren, focus on taking better care of themselves to stay. However, it is common for grandparents' caregivers to neglect their own health when living on fixed incomes. Minimize your health problems, especially when it comes to money, or if the situation is or you go to the doctor or grandchildren. Even when money is not a priority, many grandparents deny or downplay their symptoms for legal reasons. Grandparents who seek custody of a grandchild because the parents are drug addicts often fear that if they admit to health problems they will be denied custody. An example of this is the Douthitt family and grandmothers battling cancer. The role of the social worker at the macro level of this problem boils down to advocating for the community of grandparents raising grandchildren. Most grandparents overcome these obstacles through a determination to do a good job raising their grandchildren. Social workers must use support groups to help grandparents harness their inner strengths, to help them deal effectively with this new life transition. Grandparent Reaching is a support and advocacy group for those caring for grandchildren. There is an ongoing need for support groups for this community that provide these members with a wide range of information, including updates on disciplinary techniques, legal aspects of custody and guardianship, as well as a place to vent their feelings. One of the main problems grandparents face is the guilt of not having the energy or knowledge to give their grandchildren everything their friends have. Grandparents also struggle with feelings of isolation. It's important to see this problem on a macro level because it's a problem you see every day and encounter again and again. This is a problem that needs laws, especially in states like Florida where they are lacking. Supporting grandparents raising grandchildren is an ongoing problem that only increases as time goes on, it is important as social workers to find ways to help those facing these situations by providing resources, education and policies. The issues that support this are simply the lack of tools for.