Sense of Purpose.
Grandparents involved in raising grandchildren often report a greater sense of purpose in their own lives. Margaret Jendrek from Miami University in Ohio interviewed 114 grandparents who were providing regular care. Most were caring for only one grandchild, but some had responsibility for as many as five. Nearly all respondents weregrandmothers. Jendrek identified three types of grandparents:

Reasons for grandparent care.
Jendrek found that the reasons for caring for a grandchild varied widely, depending on the type of care. Most day care grandparents cited the mother's full-time work schedule, while custodial grandparents noted the mother's emotional problems. Financial help was the most common reason given by grandparents who lived with a grandchild.

Overall, about two thirds of the grandparents had offered to provide care. "Living-with" grandparents, however, are apparently more often in a position where they simply begin to take over. In some cases, this assumption of care may develop because the child's mother has not yet left home herself. This circumstance, as well as the fact that these grandparents do not have legal authority over the grandchild, may help explain why living-with grandparents were found to experience more stress than the other two types of grandparents.