A recent article by Eileen Holley discussed how quietly “National Grandparents Day came and went.”
Despite achieving the proclamation of the holiday, Founder Marian McQuadet’s original goals and meaning for the holiday has been sadly lost.
As Eileen Holley said, National Grandparents Day is “a relatively unknown holiday with the purpose of encouraging people to reach out to not just their own grandparents, but also other older adults who may be isolated or in nursing homes, and they may not have contact with their family.”
Considering the fact nearly 1 in 10 children live with a grandparent, how are we not more aware of this holiday?
Based on a survey by Bayshore HealthCare, Eileen Holley suggests there is a lack of respect towards our grandparents and elders.
The Bayshore HealthCare survey found that many millennials show signs of intolerance and impatience toward seniors, with one out of seven Canadians aged 18 to 34 saying they will honk at a senior driving too slowly and only 34 percent saying that they would go out of their way to help a senior in need.”
The millennial generation being referenced to include college students and grandchildren who are not spending time with their grandparents.
Suprisingly, the survey also found that “69 percent believe it is their responsibility to care for elderly parents and grandparents.”
Thus, there is hope. Parents and grandchildren should take some time to appreciate not only their grandparents but also all the elders who may be isolated and shut-in.
Grand Daughters Rising 