Grandparent's health and functioning after a grandchild's death

Jo Anne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, Kathleen Blais, Jean Hannan, Theophile Niyonsenga

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)


Approximately 160,000 grandparents experience the death of a grandchild each year; this represents a permanent, irrevocable loss for the grandparent, resulting in physical and emotional responses. Grandparents who lose a grandchild experience increased alcohol and drug use, thoughts of suicide, and pain for their adult child who is also grieving. Supportive resources available to grieving grandparents, the effects of the grandchild's death on the grandparent-parent relationship, and the influence of race and ethnicity on grandparent grieving are discussed. Despite approximately 40,000 child and infant deaths each year, knowledge about grandparent health and functioning after the death of a grandchild is limited.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)352-359
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Pediatric Nursing
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes


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