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Changes in Grandparental Childcare During the Pandemic and Mental Health: Evidence From England

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  • Giorgio Di Gessa
  • Valeria Bordone
  • Bruno Arpino
  • Zhen Cong

Abstract

ObjectivesPolicies aiming at reducing rates of hospitalization and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) encouraged older people to reduce physical interactions. In England, until July 2021, provision of care for grandchildren was allowed only under very limited circumstances. Evidence also suggests that reduced face-to-face interactions took a toll on mental health during the pandemic. This study aims to investigate associations between changes in grandchild care provision during the first 8/9 months of the pandemic and grandparents’ mental health.MethodsUsing prepandemic data from Wave 9 (2018/2019) and the second COVID-19 substudy (November/December 2020) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we first describe changes in grandchild care provision during the pandemic to then investigate, using regression models, associations between changes in grandchild care provision and mental health (depression, quality of life, life satisfaction), while controlling for prepandemic levels of the outcome variables.ResultsAbout 10% of grandparents stopped looking after grandchildren altogether during the first 9 months of the pandemic, with 22% reporting an overall decrease in the amount of grandchild care provided. Compared to grandparents who mostly maintained unchanged their grandchild care provision, those who stopped altogether and those who mostly reduced the amount of grandchild care provided were more likely to report poorer mental health, even accounting for prepandemic health.DiscussionWhile measures to limit physical contact and shield older people were necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, policymakers should acknowledge potential adverse consequences for mental health among grandparents who experienced changes in their roles as grandchild caregivers.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgio Di Gessa & Valeria Bordone & Bruno Arpino & Zhen Cong, 2023. "Changes in Grandparental Childcare During the Pandemic and Mental Health: Evidence From England," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 78(2), pages 319-329.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:78:y:2023:i:2:p:319-329.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbac104
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lindsey A. Baker & Merril Silverstein, 2008. "Preventive Health Behaviors Among Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(5), pages 304-311.
    2. Li-Jung E. Ku & Sally C. Stearns & Courtney H. Van Houtven & Shoou-Yih D. Lee & Peggye Dilworth-Anderson & Thomas R. Konrad, 2013. "Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on the Health of Grandparents in Taiwan," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(6), pages 1009-1021.
    3. Karsten Hank & Isabella Buber, 2007. "Grandparents Caring for Their Grandchildren: Findings from the 2004 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe," MEA discussion paper series 07127, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
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    1. Francesca Zanasi & Bruno Arpino & Valeria Bordone & Karsten Hank, 2023. "The prevalence of grandparental childcare in Europe: a research update," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-9, December.

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