Caregiving Role Affects Family Relationships of African American Grandmothers as New Mothers Again: A Phenomenological Perspective

Currently, African American grandmothers are becoming caregivers to grandchildren whose parents, for various reasons, are not providing them with adequate care. Replacing their adult children, as parents, while continuing to mother them along with caring for grandchildren are essential components of this complex situation. A part of the findings from this qualitative study of the experience of grandmother caregivers indicated that family relations are affected with their grandchildren, the parents of their grandchildren, and their other adult children. Implications for culturally sensitive, family-centered clinical practice and future research are discussed.