The research, carried out by London South Bank University (LSBU) on behalf of the Grandparents' Association, found that 55 per cent of grandparents who provide full-time care said their physical health had worsened, 70 per cent said their sleep patterns had been affected, and 40 per cent said that their mental health had deteriorated.
Grandparents who provide more than 30 hours of care a week suffered the most in terms of sleep, finances and physical health. However, so did those who were denied contact with their grandchildren, with 81 per cent saying their mental health had worsened as a result.
The report, Grandparents' Voices, is based on the responses of 200 grandparents from across the UK. It says the deterioration of grandparents' health is caused by a number of factors, such as worries about legal queries and costs, or pressure from the authorities to look after a grandchild when the child's disruptive behaviour is not seen as problematic enough to require professional help.
Professor Bob Broad of LSBU said, 'Grandparents who provide full-time care need considerably more recognition, support and services than they receive. Their voices need to be fully acknowledged and acted upon.'
Lynn Chesterman, chief executive of the Grandparents' Association, said, 'The study confirms and validates what many grandparents tell us - that it is not always the cost of raising a grandchild or the expense of going to court which is an issue.
'We hope that the findings will be used alongside other evidence to give us a fuller picture of how losing contact with grandchildren, or raising them full-time, impacts in so many ways.'
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