Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Roberta Carrlson

Abstract

The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a program for occupational therapists to use with custodial grandparents and their grandchildren. The number of grandparents becoming primary caregivers to grandchildren continues to increase, and more than 5.7 million grandchildren in the United States were living with and being provided for by grandparents in 2014 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Although there are benefits to being placed in grandparent care, there are also challenges. Some of the challenges custodial grandparents face are health concerns, financial resources, and changes in social supports and occupational roles (Marken & Howard, 2014). Grandchildren may have obstacles with physical and mental health, behaviors, life roles, and educational barriers, due to traumatic or adverse life events that resulted in being placed in grandparent care (Marken & Howard, 2014).

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