African American Grandmothers Parenting AIDS Orphans: Grieving and Coping

In: Qualitative social work: research and practice, Volume 5, Issue 1, p. 33-43

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the coping strategies of African American grandmothers grieving the loss of an adult child to an AIDS death while parenting orphaned grandchildren. The results suggest that (a) African American cultural norms compel caregiving behaviors that include parenting grandchildren, even at great personal cost; (b) an abiding religious and spiritual faith allowed the respondents to cope with the several losses they experienced; and (c) social service agencies, churches, primary care and mental health facilities that provide services for AIDS survivors will need to develop programs that are culturally sensitive and accessible to the targeted populations.