GRAND Magazine- Winter 2021 - 33

grandfamilies
* Talking to friends and neighbors:
Grandparents are a great resource to
encourage other grandparents to get vaccinated-second only to their healthcare
provider.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,
older adults are being told to keep their
distance from children and wave through
windows or video calls. This is not possible
for over two million grandparents raising their grandchildren full time, many of
whom are 60 and older and at greater risk
if exposed to the virus. These grandfamily
caregivers play a critical role in children's
lives. For many, if they were to die or
become too ill to care for them, the children would end up in foster care.
In addition to being older, caregivers in
grandfamilies are disproportionally Black
or Native American, populations that are
more likely to be impacted by the pandemic-with Black people, nationwide,
dying from COVID-19 at 2.5 times the rate
of white people, and Native Americans
dying at about 1.5 times the rate.

* Protecting the next generation:
Experts agree on an immunization schedule for children. Timing is important, even
amid a pandemic.
* Sharing our stories: Write a letter to
the editor, post on social media, or present at a local community group about the
importance of vaccines for older adults.

...they are juggling decisions about
sending children to school and
risking exposure or struggling with
online learning at home.

To make matters worse, a recent survey conducted by Generations United, GrOW (Grandfamilies
Outcomes Workgroup) and Collaborative Solutions
showed 30 percent of these caregivers do not have
an alternative caregiving plan for their grandchildren
if they're unable to care for them. On top of that,
33 GRAND

WINTER 2021

they are juggling decisions about sending children to
school and risking exposure or struggling with online
learning at home. Forty-three percent fear leaving
their home for food.
All these concerns leave grandfamilies facing
extraordinarily difficult decisions as they balance the
health risk of exposure to the virus by taking steps
to meet the critical basic needs of their children and
themselves.
As a fellow grandparent, you can support families
like these and members of your own families during
this pandemic by helping your family and community
members stay on top of their health. Here are some
ways to do that:

* Staying informed: There is new
information coming out daily about vaccines to beat COVID-19. Know the facts,
vaccines save lives.
It's important for everyone to be vigilant about
their health. Visit bandAGEofhonor.org to learn more
about why vaccines are essential for all ages.

Alan King,
Communications
Specialist,
Generations United
Jaia Peterson Lent,
Deputy
Executive Director,
Generations United

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GRAND Magazine- Winter 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine- Winter 2021