Reframing Gerontological Thought and Practice: The Case of Grandmothers With Daughters in Prison

Attention to the lives of some of the nation's neediest older persons, grandmothers with daughters in prison, requires serious reconsideration of certain gerontological foci and assumptions. With data from such grandmothers, this article illustrates the need to transcend “either-or” arguments a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Gerontologist 1994-10, Vol.34 (5), p.685-691
Main Authors: Dressel, Paula L., Barnhill, Sandra K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African Americans
African-American grandmothers
Age Factors
Aged
Caregivers
Caregiving
Correctional Institutions
Daughters
Families & family life
Family Caregivers
Female
Gerontology
Grandparents
Humans
Intergenerational relations
Middle Aged
Older Adults
Parents
Poverty
Prisoners
United States
Women
Women in prison
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Summary:Attention to the lives of some of the nation's neediest older persons, grandmothers with daughters in prison, requires serious reconsideration of certain gerontological foci and assumptions. With data from such grandmothers, this article illustrates the need to transcend “either-or” arguments around age as a master status; to highlight the absence of the middle generation in a growing number of families; and to question the anti-family premises of the generational equity debate. It concludes with recommendations for how researchers and advocates could enhance their commitment to the neediest among the older population by revising the models that underlie policies and programs and reframing service orientations accordingly.
ISSN:0016-9013
1758-5341
DOI:10.1093/geront/34.5.685