Intensity and changes in grandparental caregiving: Exploring the link to loneliness in Europe

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the overall intensity and changes in grandparental caregiving on loneliness in grandparents in European countries. Data from waves 5 to 8 of the Survey on Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were used (Nindividuals = 30,896 and Nobservations = 48,562). We included grandparents (aged 50 years and over) with at least one grandchild at the beginning of the study. The analyses reveal that any intensity of grandparental care decreases the risk of loneliness. When looking at changes in grandparental care the results show that stable caregiving roles appeared to reduce loneliness, while starting to provide grandparental care makes grandparents more vulnerable to loneliness. In conclusion, our findings underscore that consistent grandparental care is important for grandparents in mitigating loneliness, highlighting the importance of sustained caregiving roles over fluctuations in caregiving intensity.