There is no disputing the fact that multigenerational living situations are rising. While these arrangements are commonplace in many overseas cultures, this is a renewed phenomenon in the US, growing from the 2007 Global Financial Crisis. From 2007 onwards – in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the number of households comprising what can be deemed as multigenerational occupants has increased exponentially.

US military active and service retired families benefit from the presence of extended family housing. When service members are deployed, they often have no choice but to leave their children in the care of grandparents or other live-in family members.

Grandparents care for an estimated 155,000 children of parents currently serving on active duty—a staggering number of military children whose grandparents are in the primary kinship role are not recognized. 

It is important to note that 17% of active service military and veterans purchased a multigenerational home, compared to 12% of non-military. 

Military families embrace the importance of multigenerational living arrangements as an essential support system for their children.

Multigenerational living can also enhance the lives of retired military members. Rather than face conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, limited mobility, poor nutrition outcomes, self-neglect, and the known early killer isolation, retired military members can be emotionally supported by their families. This can reduce feelings of isolation and assist in overall recovery. 

Our military service members and families deserve better than to die alone and without loving family support. Policymakers need to recognize the importance of multigenerational living and, in doing so, attribute the necessary resources available to support these families. 

The rise in multigenerational living arrangements can be attributed to two significant factors – rising housing costs and an aging population. 

There has been a push in some areas for more concerted housing initiatives to support multigenerational households. 

The Elder Cottage Housing Opportunities (ECHO) was launched over 25 years ago – as a plan to supply small, low-cost, freestanding, or temporarily semi-attached home-manufactured units.

As a society, we live through a time of great financial uncertainty. As a result, elderly family members often move into their adult children’s homes. These family members may have health issues, and moving in with their adult children can be a favorable lifestyle option. An older family member may be better supervised for medication management in a family setting verse traditional settings. And staying with family creates a more profound bond with every household member. Combat the loneliness prevalent in elderly citizens with multigenerational family living.

While some view elderly family care as a burden, too many elderly family members, provide invaluable wisdom to their families. 

As a society, we should be reminded that grandparents serve as excellent mentors for their children and grandchildren.

Military service families often have grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other extended family living with them to help them meet the demanding deployments and extended periods away from their children. 

These family members often help minimize the ongoing trauma of separation and feelings of abandonment most military children feel – by having familiar family members close by to comfort and guide them through difficult times.

Military service families are often forced to make difficult decisions by sending their children to live with family members. Often military and children are separated due to inadequate military housing or isolated military duty, which means no family allowed.

Multigenerational family housing can solve part of this issue. 

40% of grandparents who care for their grandchildren have stated that they have taken on that responsibility for 5 years or more. This grandparent caregiving arrangement is likely to become permanent. 

A Grand family consisting of two generations – grandparent|s, and grandchild. Grandfamilies vs. multigenerational, why is this problematic? grandfamilies are when grandparents serve as the primary caregiver for youth, raising children on their own or in conjunction with other family members. Multigenerational means several generations are in a living arrangement as a family unit. The difference is direct care and guidance verse indirect care and guidance, and the stress placed on the grandparent’s role in the family. 

As was previously mentioned, grandparents provide care for an estimated 155,000 children of parents currently serving on active duty. It is indeed about time for the role of grandparents and all extended family members caring for military children to be recognized more broadly for their military service and family efforts. 

As evidenced, multigenerational households can combat the isolation military service families, in particular, military service children feel, when one or both parents play a vital role in the deployment of military personnel.