Examining the Impact of Grandparent Caregiving on Mortality

Seung-won Choi, Michigan State University

Increases in life expectancy, female labor force participation, and single parent families have accelerated the trend of caregiving for grandchildren among older adults. Previous studies have found both positive and negative impacts of grandparent caregiving on older adults' physical and mental health. However, there is a dearth of studies on the association between grandparent caregiving and mortality. Using the seven waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), nationally representative data, this study examines whether and how grandparent caregiving differences in mortality have changed over time, and whether and how the long-term effect of grandparent caregiving on mortality differs by gender.