TOLEDO, Ohio – Grandparents who find themselves raising grandchildren are receiving vital assistance from the Area Office on Aging’s Kinship Navigator Program, a service that has been operating for more than 25 years. The program now supports over 1,300 Lucas County families each year, providing workshops, support groups, classes and a comprehensive parenting guide.
Grandparents share their stories
LaDore Foster, a 71‑year‑old single parent, never expected to become a full‑time caregiver for three great‑grandchildren. “I’m a mom, a grandma and a great‑grandma. It’s just a lot, but it can be done,” she said. Foster credits the Kinship Navigator Program for helping her balance the mental, physical and financial challenges of raising children later in life.
“I keep moving forward,” Foster added. “Don’t sit there and soak it in, seek some help. It’s out there. Call Kinship. They have so many different avenues. I am better because of the help they’ve given me.”
Program resources
The program offers a range of services designed for kinship caregivers – grandparents, aunts, uncles or other relatives who assume parental responsibilities. Participants can attend workshops on budgeting, stress management, child development and legal issues. Support groups provide a space to share experiences and receive emotional encouragement.
“Those classes help me stay balanced,” Foster explained. “They deal with different situations in the family, and for me personally, mentally, that I need to do for myself.”
Growth driven by community needs
Arcelia Armstrong, director of the Kinship Navigator Program since 2010, notes a steady increase in kinship caregivers, largely linked to the opioid epidemic’s impact on families. “Over that time, we have seen an increase in relatives raising kin full‑time, due, in large part, to the opioid epidemic,” she said.
Armstrong highlighted the program’s “parenting smart resource guide,” which walks caregivers through everyday challenges from A‑Z. The first call for help often comes when a caregiver feels overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. “They don’t have to go it alone; we’ve got resources and supports,” Armstrong said.
Family life and faith
Foster also shared the joys that come with her new role. “We go to church, they sing in the choir, they play chess and they have swim classes,” she said. Special occasions bring extra happiness: “I love it when it’s Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. They all give me different cards. Those cards give me inspiration.”
The Kinship Navigator Program is free for Lucas County residents, and its services are open to caregivers ranging from their 20s to their 80s. By connecting families with resources and a supportive community, the program aims to strengthen traditional family structures and uphold the values that many local families hold dear.
How to get involved
Anyone in Lucas County who is caring for a child or knows a kinship caregiver can contact the Area Office on Aging for assistance. More information, including workshop schedules and the parenting guide, is available on the office’s website.
Original reporting: 13abc WTVG Toledo (news) — read the source article.
