Internet Exercises

1. The Grandparenting Foundation (http://www.grandparenting.org/) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise grandparent consciousness. The Foundation also provides information on state laws and grandparent visitation rights.

Go to the foundation's website. On the left side of the homepage, under Shortcuts, click on Updated State Laws and scroll down the page until you see State Grandparent Visitation Statutes. Answer the following questions:

1. List the seven criteria that are important in considering grandparent visitation rights.

Scroll down the page further until you see the state in which you live.

2. Which of the seven criteria apply to grandparent visitation rights in your state?

Continue scrolling down the page until you see The Visitation Rights Enforcement Act.

3. When was this act signed into law?

What rights does the act guarantee to grandparents?

2. The American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) (http://www.aarp.org) prides itself on being one of the leading voices for addressing the needs of Americans age 50 and older. To read what the AARP says about grandparents who are raising children, go to the AARP homepage and click on "Life Transitions." Then click on "Grandparents," and select "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren." Read "Facts About Grandparents Raising Grandchildren," and answer the following questions:

1. How many single grandmothers are raising children under age 18?
2. What was the age of the majority of grandparents raising children?
3. What percentage of Hispanic grandparents are raising grandchildren? What percentage of African Americans?
4. What are some of the challenges faced by grandparents raising children under age 18?

3. The Administration on Aging (http://www.aoa.gov/) provides an interesting fact sheet on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older persons. Go to the site and click on "Search." Type in the word "gay" and hit the enter key. The first fact sheet you will see is called "Older Americans Month, May 2001—The Many Faces of Aging." Click on the fact sheet, read the article, and answer the following questions:

1. Who do older LGBT people rely on?
2. Are older gay or lesbian persons more likely to live alone or with a partner?
3. What problems can arise when an older person lives alone?