Grandparents As Parents: An Emerging Family Pattern

The likelihood of becoming a grandparent has increased dramatically as a result of demographic changes in fertility and mortality (Pruchno and Johnson, 2000). Currently, 94 percent of older adults will experience grandparenthood, and nearly 50 percent will become great-grandparents (Hooyman and Kiyak, 1996). A direct result of the commonality of this family role has been an expanded empirical interest in the symbolic roles and functional responsibilities associated with grandparenthood.