Structure and satisfaction: Social support networks among older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren

Abstract Older custodial grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren are often underprepared to parent adolescent grandchildren with complex biological, psychological, and social needs. Greater understanding of social support networks may contribute to enhancing the well‐being and longevity of these caregivers. This study conducted in‐depth interviews and applied a social capital framework to explore the structure of and satisfaction with social support networks accessed by nineteen older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren. Older custodial grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren reported using social support networks from family (89.4%), community groups/organizations (84.2%), friends (73.7%), faith‐based communities (68.4%), and neighbors (2.1%). Satisfaction with social support networks varied by the source of social support. The highest satisfaction with social support emerged from family (73.6%), followed by community groups/organizations (52.6%). Older grandparent caregivers expressed some satisfaction with friends (42.1%), faith‐based communities (42.1%), and neighbors (36.8%), with lower levels of satisfaction evident in each group. Implications will be discussed for tailoring policy development to the views and unmet needs of older custodial grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren. Collaborative partnerships from a wide array of constituent groups can help to foster policy advocacy and development across all critical domains to enhance social support with and on behalf of older custodial grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren.