The Grandparents Postponing Retirement to Sustain Their Families

Ernst’s life is defined by a cycle of support. After her son Jack suffered an accident that cost him an arm, she relocated to Connecticut to pay his rent and stabilize his household. Even after moving back to Oregon to assist her daughter, Joanna, she continues to shoulder the mortgage for the Connecticut property so her son and grandsons have a roof over their heads. Her own savings, once earmarked for leisure, are now consumed by daily necessities, groceries, and car payments. She balances a 25-hour-a-week job caring for her grandson, who has autism, with the constant mental load of parenting children who are not legally her own.

This phenomenon extends well beyond Ernst’s experience. According to 2024 Census data, over 1.1 million U.S. grandparents aged 60 and older provide part-time care for their grandchildren. Many, like 65-year-old Althea Smith, have taken on formal legal guardianship, forcing them to remain in the workforce indefinitely to cover the costs of raising another generation. For these families, the traditional grandparent role—defined by occasional visits and treats—has been replaced by the relentless demands of crisis management, leaving little room for personal rest or the long-awaited freedom of their golden years.