Photo Credit: Mikhail Nilov
Across the United States, a growing number of grandparents are raising their grandchildren full-time. This shift is not temporary, and it is not isolated. It reflects broader economic, health, and social pressures that are reshaping families and exposing gaps in how we support older adults in the workforce and in a technology-driven world.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 6.7 million adults aged 30 and older live with their grandchildren, and more than 2 million are responsible for their grandchildren’s basic care, including housing, education, and healthcare. These grandparents are not occasional caregivers. They are primary decision-makers, often navigating parenting responsibilities later in life under conditions they did not anticipate.
This reality has direct implications for workforce participation, access to technology, and digital safety, issues that are often addressed separately instead of as interconnected challenges.
Why More Grandparents Are Raising Their Grandchildren
There is no single explanation for the rise in grandparent-led households. Instead, several overlapping factors consistently emerge:
- Economic instability and workforce disruptions, which limit access to stable childcare and housing
- Health and substance-use challenges, including the long-term effects of the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic
- Longer life expectancy, enabling grandparents to step into caregiving roles later in life
- Cultural and community norms, particularly in communities where extended family support has long been essential
For many families, grandparents provide stability during periods of transition or crisis. However, taking on this role often requires navigating systems: education, healthcare, employment, and technology, that were not designed with older caregivers in mind.
The Workforce Reality for Grandparent Caregivers
Many grandparents raising grandchildren remain in the workforce or are actively seeking to re-enter it. Employment is often necessary to maintain financial stability, access benefits, and support dependents.
Today’s job market, however, is deeply technology-dependent. Online applications, virtual interviews, digital credentials, and automated screening tools are standard. For older adults who may have left the workforce years earlier, this shift can be challenging.
At the same time, these grandparents are frequently supporting their grandchildren’s education, which increasingly relies on digital platforms, school portals, and internet-connected devices. As a result, grandparents are managing two parallel demands:
- Staying employable in a digital labor market
- Supporting children in an online learning environment
This combination places additional pressure on seniors who are already balancing caregiving responsibilities.
Technology Literacy Is No Longer Optional
Technology skills for seniors are often framed as optional or secondary. In reality, for grandparents raising grandchildren, technology literacy is foundational.
Basic digital skills help older adults:
- Protect themselves from scams, fraud, and identity theft
- Access healthcare, education, and employment services
- Communicate with schools, employers, and community organizations
- Guide children in safe and responsible online behavior
Without appropriate support, both seniors and children face increased risks: financial, educational, and personal.
What I’m Seeing in the Field
These issues are not abstract. They are showing up consistently in direct community conversations.
On December 15, I spoke with a community leader from a youth-focused organization that works closely with young people, including at-risk youth. Much of that conversation centered on family stability, caregiver strain, and the increasing role grandparents play in keeping children supported and engaged, often while navigating systems that were not designed for older caregivers.
On December 18, I met with an organization that focuses on helping older adults and seniors re-enter the workforce. Although the primary focus was employment, technology emerged as a recurring theme: online applications, digital training tools, cybersecurity concerns, and the confidence gap many seniors experience when re-entering a tech-driven job market.
These were separate conversations with different objectives, but they surfaced the same underlying reality: grandparents are being asked to adapt quickly at home, at work, and online, often without coordinated support.
This overlap matters. It highlights why workforce readiness, technology education, and digital safety cannot be treated as isolated issues when addressing the needs of seniors who are raising grandchildren.
Why This Matters Now
Supporting grandparents who are primary caregivers has broader implications for families and communities. When seniors are confident using technology and able to remain active in the workforce:
- Children experience greater stability and continuity
- Seniors reduce isolation and financial stress
- Communities retain experienced workers and mentors
- Digital safety improves across generations
This is not a niche issue. It sits at the intersection of workforce development, education, cybersecurity, and family well-being.
Moving Forward
The growing role of grandparents as caregivers requires a coordinated approach, one that connects workforce readiness, technology literacy, and digital safety rather than addressing each in isolation.
Programs and policies must reflect the reality that seniors are not only workers or retirees, but often caregivers navigating complex digital environments on behalf of themselves and their families.
This work does not require publicity or exaggeration. It requires consistency, collaboration, and practical implementation.
At AQ’S Corner, we focus on practical pathways that help seniors stay safe, confident, and forward-moving in a digital world, while supporting the families and grandchildren who depend on them.
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