[September 07, 2013]SPRINGFIELD -- In observance of
Grandparents Day on Sunday, Illinois Department on Aging Director
John K. Holton, Ph.D., offered support as he praised grandparents
who are raising their grandchildren. A grandparent who lives with
and is responsible for most of the basic needs of grandchildren ages
18 and younger is a primary caregiver. In Illinois, it's estimated
that more than 100,000 grandparents are serving as the primary
caregivers for their grandchildren when the parents are unable to.
"The decision by a grandparent to raise their grandchild can be a
difficult one. And for those with limited resources, another round
of parenting can pose further stress on the grandparent, whatever
the circumstances. So, as we mark this Grandparents Day observance,
I want to remind that there is help with the physical, emotional and
financial stresses that accompany raising grandchildren," said
Holton.
The occurrence of grandparents raising grandchildren or other
child relatives is not new, but nationally the number of children
being raised by people other than a parent has dramatically
increased. Factors that contribute to more grandparents raising
their grandchildren include drugs and alcohol abuse, health issues,
death, divorce, and incarceration. In Illinois, there are more than
200,000 children who live in homes with grandparents serving as the
primary caregivers.
The Department on Aging has a program called Grandparents Raising
Grandchildren to help with efforts to locate, assist and promote
awareness of grandparents of any age, as well as other relatives,
who are currently raising their family's children. Created in 1996,
the program offers numerous services that may help during difficult
times. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is a referral service to
local resources, such as support groups and legal assistance. And in
some cases the program provides emergency financial assistance for
such needs as utility bills, medications, food and clothing.
The Department on Aging awards grants to nonprofit organizations
to fund initiatives addressing the needs of grandparents raising
grandchildren. The grants fund local resources for services, such as
legal assistance to secure guardianship, establish custody and
backup plans when the grandparents are no longer able to provide
care; therapeutic help for children who have lost a parent or
significant caregiver through death, divorce or abandonment;
advocacy and mentoring; counseling; and respite care. For fiscal
2013, the department has awarded $300,000 in grants to 46 support
groups.
