Grandparents help save thousands in childcare costs

Grandparents help save thousands in childcare costs, but need good eyesight to keep doing it

With more households struggling financially, pressure is mounting on grandparents to help look after children, making it increasingly important for them to stay healthy, new research reveals.  

The poll of 1,000 parents with children aged five and under has shown that grandparents are saving mums and dads £5,370 a year.

Some 71 per cent of respondents said grandparents are playing a more active role than ever before in looking after their grandchildren. They are being asked to step in an average of 97 times each year to help families avoid daily childcare costs, at a time when the average age of becoming a grandparent has increased to 65.

The research, which was commissioned by specialist eye care provider Newmedica, revealed that parents fear if grandparents don’t look after their own eye health, it will limit their independence and the vital family role they play.

Mr Usman Hussain, consultant ophthalmologist at Newmedica, said: “As grandparents take on a more active role later in life, it’s increasingly important that they remain fit, healthy and independent if they want to continue providing the support being asked of them by their families.

“Eye health is a key part of this, particularly as conditions such as cataracts become more common with age.

“Left untreated, this can lead to sight loss, potentially limiting grandparents’ ability to enjoy these special moments with their grandchildren and leaving families without a vital source of support.”

Some 79 per cent of respondents said that if their parents developed a worsening eye health condition, they would actively explore treatment options to help protect or improve their vision.

Sylvia Summerfield, who is 68 and lives in Birmingham, is among those whose relationship with their grandchildren has benefited from cataract-replacement surgery.

She said: “Until the surgery, I didn’t realise my granddaughter had so many freckles on her face. I put the operation off for so long, and now I think, ‘Why?’ I missed out on so much. I can play with my grandchildren now and we laugh about how bad my sight was.

“It really has been life-changing. Being able to drive means I’m more independent and I feel safer. I can drive my grandchildren around and interact with them. To be able to do all this is fantastic.”

Mr Hussain said that in most health matters, including eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts, the sooner they are identified, the easier it is to treat them.

He added: “In the example of cataracts, although they aren’t painful and usually grow slowly, waiting too long allows the natural lens to harden, increasing the complexity of eventual surgery.

“It’s therefore important that cataracts are diagnosed early, because this ensures a safer, more predictable surgical procedure and prevents the risk of permanent secondary damage to the eye.

“Advancements in technology and surgical knowledge mean that the procedure to remove cataracts is very quick, carried out under local anaesthetic via eyedrops while the patient is awake, and is painless.

“The aim of cataract surgery is to help people maintain their quality of life, whether that’s being able to read a book, drive a car or look after their grandchildren, as well as being more stable on their feet so that they avoid dangerous trips and falls.”

Nearly half (49 per cent) of parents questioned for the survey said they had noticed age-related health issues in their father or mother, while 36 per cent had seen the older relatives’ sight worsen in the past five years.

As a result, 75 per cent worry that deteriorating health would make it harder for the grandparents to play an active role in their grandchildren’s lives.

Therefore, 61 per cent admitted they feel reliant on their parents remaining healthy and independent so they can continue to lean on them.

Newmedica cares for more than 306,000 NHS and private patients a year in more than 30 locations across England, working with the NHS, GPs and opticians to help treat and manage a range of advanced eye conditions in communities.