Grandparenting, Social Relations, and Mortality in Old Age. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jang, Heejung; Tang, Fengyan; Fusco, Rachel A.; Engel, Rafael J.; Albert, Steven M.
• Is Part Of: Research on aging. Volume 44:Number 3/4(2022)
• Page Start: 265
• Page End: 275
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: social networks -- social support -- mortality -- grandparenting; Old age -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- United States -- Periodicals; 305.2605
• DOI: 10.1177/01640275211015433
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0164-0275

Abstract

Guided by a convoy model of social relations, this study investigates the relationships between grandparenting status, social relations, and mortality among community-dwelling grandparents age 65 and older who are caring for their grandchildren. The data were drawn from the 2008 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study ( N = 564). Latent class analysis was used to identify the social network structure based on six indicators of interpersonal relationships and activities. A series of hierarchical Weibull hazard models estimated the associations between grandparent caregiving, social relations, and mortality risk. Results of survival analyses indicate that co-parenting and custodial grandparents had higher all-cause mortality risk than grandparents who babysat occasionally; however, for custodial grandparents, the association was not significant once social relation variables were added to the model. This study suggests that community-based support may be beneficial to older grandparents and improved relationship quality is integral to the well-being of older adults.