Grandparents raising grandchildren: A Strength-Based Perspective and Intervention

Over the past two decades, the number of grandparents raising grandchildren has grown rapidly in the United States. In 2012, about 2.7 million Americans were responsible for the basic needs of co-residing grandchildren, with 37% of them aged 60 and older. Previous research largely emphasized the negative impacts of childcare on grandparent caregivers’ (GCs) well-being, while ignoring the rewards of raising grandchildren such as a source of happiness, pride, and accomplishment, and the resilience among GCs. Resilience is typically defined as the capacity to adapt successfully despite experiencing adversity. Resilient grandparents are characterized by positive appraisal and acceptance of their family life, the personality trait of persistence, maintenance of healthy boundaries within family, commitment to new life routines and their grandchildren, and social connectivity. Custodial grandparent caregivers without adequate resources are vulnerable and in needs of social support and services to maintain resilience. A strength-based perspective will provide a framework for designing and providing interventions with GP to enhance their resilience. This study aims to examine GC resilience within an adaptation framework that views social support and coping skills as key protective mechanisms in relation to GCs’ well-being. We will explore how individual attributes, family resources, interpersonal relationships, and external support systems contribute to resilience and health outcomes among GCs. Particularly, we will investigate the roles of social service utilization in enhancing resilience and explore how to develop strengthen-based interventions in collaboration with social service providers. We will use mixed methods of survey questionnaire and focus group among grandparent caregivers to find out their caregiving experience and to define GC resilience. Further, we will investigate social service accessibility and utilization among GC families through seeking information from social service providers. We will closely work with social service providers in developing strength-based interventions and improving caregiving outcomes

Asset-Building Programs for People With Disabilities in Rural Areas: Including Independent Living and Long-Term Care Planning Education

This paper presents findings from a case study of individuals with multiple sclerosis examining their planning and preparation activities for their future independent living and long-term care needs. Data collected from a representative sample of National Multiple Sclerosis Society members in the greater metropolitan St. Louis and eastern Illinois area indicate significant differences in income, assets, education, health and functional limitation status between individuals living in rural versus urban areas. Additionally, findings show respondents with greater levels of education and assets, and those living in urban areas, are more likely to have saved for retirement, made legal preparations, or engaged in planning activities for future needs. Recommendations for asset building programs include incorporating education and training on planning for independent living and long-term care into financial planning curriculum, particularly for people with disabilities living in rural areas

Youth Service and Elder Service in Comparative Perspective

Youth Service and Elder Service in Comparative Perspectiv

Successful Aging: Multiple Trajectories and Population Heterogeneity

Following Rowe and Kahn’s successful aging model, this study identified successful aging as a distinctive aging trajectory and examined gender differences in the aging process. Using the Health and Retirement Study data (2000-2008), this study applied group-based trajectory analysis to identify multiple aging trajectories in a sample of older Americans aged 65 and over (N=9,226). Six dimensions were analyzed in the multi-trajectory model: chronic disease, physical functional limitation, disability, depressive symptom, cognitive functioning, and active engagement with life. Three aging trajectory groups were identified: successful aging, usual aging, and pathological aging in both samples of men and women. About one third of women and 40 percent of men fell into the successful aging trajectory. Women were more likely than men to experience functional limitations and disability over time, thus less likely to age successfully. Younger age and higher levels of education and income were related to the likelihood of successful aging. Findings provide support for a multidimensional model of successful aging that emphasizes the heterogeneity in physical, cognitive, and social functioning among the older population. Future research need incorporate subjective assessments of successful aging, examine the potential transitions among different aging trajectories, and assess the impacts of health behavior and resource variables on the aging outcomes

Asian American grandparents caring for grandchildren: Findings from the Census 2010-2012 American Community Survey

Research on grandparent caregivers has received growing attention, yet information about Asian American grandparents is limited. Using 2010-2012 American Community Survey (ACS) data, this study provides a national profile of Asian American grandparent caregivers across ethnic groups by region (East, Southeast, and South Asians), and examines socioeconomic and cultural factors related to grandparent caregiving. Of the over half a million Asian Americans who lived with grandchildren during 2010-2012, about 16 percent reported as primary caregivers, and over 31 percent lived in grandparent-headed households. Compared with East Asians, South Asian grandparents were less likely to be primary caregivers for their grandchildren, but no difference was observed between East and Southeast Asians. East Asian grandparents, especially noncitizens, were more likely to care for their grandchildren than native born citizens. Marital status, citizenship, language spoken at home, employment, and poverty level were related to the odds of being the primary caregivers, but the relationships varied by ethnic groups. Findings indicate ethnic heterogeneity in Asian American grandparent caregiving and the necessity for future research in this understudied population. In general, grandparent caregivers and their households may face greater financial challenges than non-caregivers. Attention and effort are needed in policy and practice arenas to address specific individual and household needs after taking into account ethnic, cultural, and economic characteristics

Domain control and periodic poling of epitaxial ScAlN

ScAlN is an emerging ferroelectric material that possesses large band gap, strong piezoelectricity, and holds great promises for enhanced \chi^{(2)} nonliearity. In this study, we demonstrate high-fidelity ferroelectric domain switching and periodic poling of Al-polar ScAlN thin film epitaxially grown on on c-axis sapphire substrate using gallium nitride as a buffer layer. Uniform poling of ScAlN with periods ranging from 2 um to 0.4 um is realized. The ability to lithographically control the polarization of epitaxial ScAlN presents a critical advance for its further exploitation in ferroelectric storage and nonlinear optics applications.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Challenges and Resilience in African American Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Review of the Literature with Practice Implications

This paper reviews literature on grandparents raising grandchildren, focusing on caregiving challenges and resilience in African American grandparent caregivers within a socio-cultural context. A strengths perspective that emphasizes capacities and competencies at the individual, family, and community levels is applied in understanding how African American grandparents rely on their strengths to overcome caregiving challenges. Building on the review of social programs and intervention services that targeted empowerment practice, the authors propose an empowerment model of working with African American grandparents, that is, building capacities through an empowerment process to address caregiving challenges and to achieve positive caregiving outcomes. Finally, the paper discusses the empowerment model with particular attention to its practice implications for social workers and other helping professions

Toward Measurement of Civic Service

Toward Measurement of Civic Servic

Youth Service: A Comprehensive Perspective

When youth are involved in their communities, they typically do so through institutional structures. We construe youth service as a type of long-term, intensive volunteerism or civic service, which takes a range of institutional forms including service-learning, national service, and international service. We define these forms as having common operational features, and summarize what is known about them and their effects on youth and the individuals and communities with whom the youth are engaged. We identify directions for future research,including issues of server inclusion and impacts on the served

The Knowledge Base on Civic Service: Status and Directions

The Knowledge Base on Civic Service: Status and Direction