Grandparent caregivers need more community and financial support to raise children
In 2022, Tennessee passed legislation providing a subsidy for caregivers who are related to the children in their charge.
The money is half of what foster parents earn, but it is $500 per child, which helps offset the costs incurred by caregivers, including grandparents.
Still, it is never really enough due to the financial adjustment to the budget of caregivers, many whom are still in the workforce.
More than 2 million grandparents care for their grandchildren across the U.S. and it's more than 70,000 grandparent households in the Volunteer State.
On episode 383 of the Tennessee Voices video podcast, the guests were Grace Sutherland Smith, executive director of AgeWell Middle TN, and Charissa Lynch, director of the Relative Caregiver Program with Family & Children's Service.
They discussed caregivers and also the challenges of dealing with aging in America today.
"We are not prepared as a state for the growing aging population," Smith said.
She added that Tennessee is ranked at No. 51 in support for caregivers among 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Watch the video for the full conversation.
About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
Watch past episodes: Tennessee Voices videocast
Please email your ideas for future guests to me at dplazas@tennessean.com. Thank you for watching.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063 or email him at dplazas@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Voices: Grandparents play a key role in raising children
