The League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest applauds the Tribune for bringing to the public’s attention the problems facing grandparents who have taken on the job of raising their grandchildren. Your front-page article “It’s not always grand parenting a 2nd time” (Oct. 4) by Sue Ellen Christian captured the essence of many of these difficulties.
After a year-long study assessing our senior services, the league concluded that Oak Park and River Forest provide exemplary services but that the concerns of grandparents raising grandchildren had not been addressed. Since a recent study showed that 85 percent of the grandparents raising grandchildren would join a support group if available, we decided to sponsor one in our community in partnership with AGE-WISE, an organization at Oak Park Hospital that provides resources to help older adults age well. The support group meets once a month with a social worker, lawyer and nurse who have volunteered their expertise to help the group members cope with this experience.
To find your support group, call the Illinois Department on Aging (800-252-8966).
