THE ROLE OF PANAMANIAN GRANDMOTHERS IN FAMILY SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE GRANDCHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

With the increased emphasis on identifying support sources when crises occur in the family, grandparents are emerging as having the potential to fulfill this role. In the United States, the literature indicates that grandparents are willing to assume an increased role with regard to fostering health, emotional well-being, and developmental needs of their grandchildren. In Panama, grandmothers are living in closer proximity to their families and are more accessible to their grandchild. Does this result in changes in grandmothers' involvement when there is a child with disability? To investigate this question, we interviewed 30 grandmothers of grandchildren with disabilities, and their roles were explored. Results indicated that Panamanian grandmothers were involved in many aspects of care, were not initially informed about the grandchild's condition, expressed sorrow and concerns for the future of their grandchild, and they reported love and affection as the most effective way of reaching the child. On the basis of these results, comparisons were made to grandparents in the United States, and factors that influence Panamanian grandmothers' effectiveness are discussed.