In 1978, President Jimmy Carter designated the first Sunday after Labor Day, National Grandparents Day. This observance honors the ways grandparents improve the lives of others by sharing their wisdom and life experiences with younger generations. Even as they deal with advancing age, many grandparents continue to take an active role in providing for their family’s needs. In fact, according to the U.S. Census (PDF), more than 2.7 million adults are helping to raise their grandchildren. The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), a program of ACL’s Administration on Aging, helps family caregivers, including grandparents and other relatives raising grandchildren, obtain vital information and supportive services in their community. In 2012, NFCSP served over 13,000 grandparents, providing over 3,000 with more than 241,000 hours of respite services, giving them a break from their caregiving situations.
ACL is pleased to celebrate Grandparents Day in appreciation of all grandparents do to support communities and families. Visit Grandparentsday.org to learn more about the observance and to get great ideas on ways to celebrate.