Grandparents torn between caring for children and elderly relatives, survey finds

Grandparents are increasingly stretched between caring for their grandchildren and looking after elderly or vulnerable relatives, a survey by the website Gransnet has found.

The questionnaire of more than 1,100 grandparents found that 27 per cent of respondents feel torn between their own busy lives and caring for grandchildren and elderly parents.

Three quarters said they help care for their grandchildren, while 35 per cent are responsible for caring for elderly or vulnerable relatives.

The survey found that 68 per cent of grandparents who care for their grandchildren enjoy doing so and are happy to be able to help. But 31 per cent have some reservations about caring for grandchildren, with 20 per cent saying they sometimes feel taken for granted.

A further 10 per cent said caring for grandchildren is “not always convenient or enjoyable”, and one per cent described it as “a chore or burden”.

One grandparent said: “I work from home and have to travel 93 miles to look after my grandchild. I have to make up my work time constantly.” Another added: “I travel 400 miles to look after my granddaughter, but as I am self-employed I lose money when I do it.”

Only 18 per cent of grandparents in the survey said they feel secure and confident about the future. More than half said they have been affected by the recession and are concerned about their personal finances, while 59 per cent have had to help their children or grandchildren financially in the last year.

Gransnet editor Geraldine Bedell, said users of the website regularly discuss the struggles of juggling care for grandchildren, looking after elderly parents and working or volunteering.

“They often feel guilty for not doing more, even though they may be spending several days per week being pulled in multiple directions and caring for others,” she said.