Blog

Grandmas Unite!

Grandmas Unite!
Blog Stories Grandmas Unite!
Dec 13, 2021

Our grandmas, abuelas, bubbes, nanas, yayas, and community elders want the best for us, and  want to make sure we have the care we need, from now to when we are grandparents ourselves. That’s why, on Thursday, December 9th, in partnership with the Care Can’t Wait Coalition, we brought together grandmothers from across the country (in person and online) at a rally on the Capitol lawn. Members of Congress, family caregivers, care workers, and disability rights advocates came out, despite a pretty chilly day, to demand that Congress pass Build Back Better.

Valarie Long, International Executive Vice President of SEIU, who emcee’d the event, started out with an important reminder: “Being a grandma means we’re part of a special club of women, determined to make the world a better place for our grandchildren.”

Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Debbie Dingell, both grandmothers themselves, shared their experiences as caregivers across the generations, along with care workers, family caregivers, and people with disabilities who described what it’s like to give and receive care while dealing with a broken system.

 

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) speaks at a rally with grandmas and Congressional members for "Build Back Better' in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on December 09, 2021 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 09: Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) speaks at a rally with grandmas and Congressional members for “Build Back Better’ in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on December 09, 2021 in Washington, DC. The event seeks to urge the Senate to pass the Build Back Better bill which supports cross-generation caregivers such as grandmothers and parents. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Caring Across Generations)

Dingell, speaking from personal experience of caring for her husband John, said, “You don’t understand how broken the system is until you’re in it. You all know how hard it is to find care. People should be able to stay in their own home, get the care they need, and pay caregivers what they’re worth. We need to get this over the finish line in the senate. All I want for Christmas is this bill!”

Deborah McAllister, a home care worker and grandmother from Burgaw, NC, said, “It’s time our country recognizes family caregivers like me who step up to the plate each and every day for loved ones in need. The Build Back Better Act is a historic investment in care that takes a huge leap forward in ensuring that grandparents, parents, aunties and uncles, and children can get the care they need, how, when and where they need it.”

And the nation agrees. According to a new poll, Build Back Better is popular with grandparents, the majority of whom believe it will benefit their families. The poll also showed that grandparents have played a critical role caring for their families during the pandemic, with nearly ⅔ providing care for their children, grandchildren, or other family members.

 

Grandmas join a rally with Congressional members for "Build Back Better' in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on December 09, 2021 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 09: Grandmas join a rally with Congressional members for “Build Back Better’ in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on December 09, 2021 in Washington, DC. The event seeks to urge the Senate to pass the Build Back Better bill which supports cross-generation caregivers such as grandmothers and parents. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Caring Across Generations)

Of course, given travel hassles and the pandemic, not all grandmothers could be there in person. But grandmothers will never sit idly by! Grandmothers and caregivers rolled out in full force online. Check out the videos and links below!

@momofmymomLets pay attention now! #TheGrandmasAreComing #CareCantWait #BuildBackBetter #momofmymom♬ original sound – ?MomOfMyMom?

@grandmaann2build back better=?? #TheGrandmasAreComing #CareCantWait #BuildBackBetter♬ Own Brand Freestyle – FelixThe1st & Dreya Mac

@itspyxieJoin us in supporting the Build Back Better bill! #TheGrandmasAreComing #CareCantWait #BuildBackBetter #Grandma #FYP♬ original sound – PYXIE

Call on Hollywood

Take Action for Care

Tell policymakers to advocate for better care for all.

Sign a Petition

READ

More Commentary

Visit the Blog
Four Oscar-nominated films that include care

Four Oscar-nominated films that include care

By Lydia Storie, Caring Across Generations Care in Common I didn’t expect to find much similarity between the movies American Fiction and Maestro, but here it is: the male protagonists in both of these Best Picture nominees become primary family caregivers. It’s not the focus of either story, but plays a pivotal role in the […]
Ten Top Moments of Care on TV 2023

Ten Top Moments of Care on TV 2023

By Vicki Shabo, Better Life Lab at New America and Lydia Storie, Caring Across Generations Care is everywhere in our lives, yet it is greatly underrepresented on TV. That’s the headline of a recent report from the Geena Davis Institute and Caring Across Generations. The study found that, in 2021, just 10% of TV shows […]
Factsheets: Aging and Disability Care in Georgia and Illinois

Factsheets: Aging and Disability Care in Georgia and Illinois

Our nation’s need for care is rising. The need for caregivers has been on the rise. By 2030, all baby boomers will be over 65, raising the percent of our country’s senior population from 13 percent in 2010 to 20 percent. At the same time, rates of disability are on the rise due to population […]