Intergenerational caregiving among “sandwich grandparents” in China

Abstract

“Sandwich grandparents” are middle-aged and older adults who have both living parents (or parents-in-law) and young grandchildren. They are faced with competing demands for caregiving from multiple generations. This study examines the prevalence, trends, and patterns of caregiving by sandwich grandparents in China. Drawing on nationally representative longitudinal data, this study estimates that more than 150 million Chinese adults aged 45 and older were sandwich grandparents in 2011. Among them, more than 17 million were dual caregivers who provided care to their own older parents and young grandchildren simultaneously. These numbers fluctuated considerably between 2011 and 2018. This study further tests the associations between three aspects of intergenerational solidarity and caregiving patterns among Chinese sandwich grandparents. Longitudinal regression analysis reveals a significant association between normative solidarity and intergenerational caregiving, but no evidence of functional or structural solidarity at work.