Dive Brief:
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The number of children who live with their grandparents has increased by one-third over a generation, according to the Census Bureau.
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One in 10 children—8 million—lives either at a grandparent’s home or a grandparent lives in the child’s family home, according to an analysis by NPR. In about a third of those households, the child’s parents are not present.
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Sometimes the living arrangements are necessary because of financial troubles or absentee parents, but sometimes, they’re voluntary. The NPR report pointed to “a cultural dynamic” in Hispanic and Asian households, whose members want to live with extended family.
Dive Insight:
For homebuilders, the trend could signal a need to rethink housing designs for older homebuyers. For example, some public housing complexes already feature a mix of indoor universal design features like extra-wide doorways, single-floor living quarters and grab bars in bathrooms, with outdoor playground equipment.