This thesis, from the theoretical point of view, is concerned with the role of each generation in the wider, multi-generational family in the present day. The fundamental subject in this study is a preschool child and his/her bond to other family members, who play essential part in the child's upbringing and socialisation (family and its changes, legal status, pro- family political movements, moral education, the role of grandparents, the full meaning of a functional family for a child's healthy development. There is a full description of the research, mapping the way and course of important festivities in the multi-generational families with a different social status, education as well as different educational surroundings in the empirical part of the research. The study examines the role of the oldest generation in handing the traditions and family customs over to the younger generations and the role each member assumes in the realization of the celebration in the multi-generational family living together. Key Words: multi-generational family, cohabition, parenthood, grandparenhood, traditions and rituals

Background: Dementia presents challenges for whole families requiring on-going adaptation. Family relationships provide important benefits, thus understanding the impact of dementia for families is critical to facilitating their wellbeing. Behavioural variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) brings specific challenges for relationships, however little is understood about how these are experienced or how families adjust. Aims: This research sought to develop an in-depth understanding of the inter-generational family experience of bvFTD over time. Method: Using a qualitative design, nineteen people were interviewed from seven families, including people living with bvFTD. Interviews occurred over three time points. Narrative analysis and grounded theory were used to understand how relationships are affected and the psycho-social coping processes involved in adjustment over time. Results: Four themes emerged; - Cohesive and connected --- distant and disconnected - Challenges to we/ I - Assimilating, adjusting and reconstructing --- resisting, denying, being stuck - A changing we / I --- an entrenched we / I Results illustrate the influence of pre-existing relationships on family experiences of bvFTD. Challenges to family relationships occurred, including changes in mutuality and increased responsibility. Levels of awareness and understanding, influenced by factors such as proximity impacted upon individual and family adjustment. Assimilating these changes was critical to developing strategies for managing the impact on the relationship and adapting to ‘a changing we’. For closest family members including partners, grief and loss were experienced resulting in the need for a parallel adaptation to a changing ‘I’. Acceptance and adaptation was critical to supporting the wellbeing of the person with bvFTD.

Background: Dementia presents challenges for whole families requiring on-going adaptation. Family relationships provide important benefits, thus understanding the impact of dementia for families is critical to facilitating their wellbeing. Behavioural variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) brings specific challenges for relationships, however little is understood about how these are experienced or how families adjust. Aims: This research sought to develop an in-depth understanding of the inter-generational family experience of bvFTD over time. Method: Using a qualitative design, nineteen people were interviewed from seven families, including people living with bvFTD. Interviews occurred over three time points. Narrative analysis and grounded theory were used to understand how relationships are affected and the psycho-social coping processes involved in adjustment over time. Results: Four themes emerged; - Cohesive and connected --- distant and disconnected - Challenges to we/ I - Assimilating, adjusting and reconstructing --- resisting, denying, being stuck - A changing we / I --- an entrenched we / I Results illustrate the influence of pre-existing relationships on family experiences of bvFTD. Challenges to family relationships occurred, including changes in mutuality and increased responsibility. Levels of awareness and understanding, influenced by factors such as proximity impacted upon individual and family adjustment. Assimilating these changes was critical to developing strategies for managing the impact on the relationship and adapting to ‘a changing we’. For closest family members including partners, grief and loss were experienced resulting in the need for a parallel adaptation to a changing ‘I’. Acceptance and adaptation was critical to supporting the wellbeing of the person with bvFTD. / The Florence Nightingale Foundation; The General Nursing Council for England and Wales Trust; The Atkinson Morley and Amandus Club Neuroscience.

This study examined the delivery of information and services offered to grandparents who had become the primary caregivers of pre-k through third grade students to determine if the information and services were effective in decreasing chronic early absence as defined by Chang and Romero (2008). This mixed-method, multi-case study focused on the perceived needs of custodial grandparents and examined if the school system was meeting their needs through delivery of information and services. The researcher sought participation from 5 custodial grandparents who had grandchildren in pre-k, kindergarten, first, second, or third grades in a Northeast Tennessee school system and whose grandchildren had accumulated absences that met the definition of chronic early absenteeism (10% or more absences) as defined by Chang and Romero (2008). Skyward Database provided a list of families who met the aforementioned criteria. The average age of this group of grandparents was 51.8 with a range of ages from 48 to 54.The comparison group, also retrieved from the Skyward Database, included 4 custodial grandparents whose grandchildren had the highest attendance rates (top 5%). The average age of this group was 53 with a range of ages from 48 to 59. Researcher-developed questionnaires and interviews were used to determine outcomes and major findings. [a1] Major findings included 1) A Chi Squared Test determined that children in grandparent-led households were significantly more likely to meet the criteria of chronic early absence than children from parent/other guardian-led households; 2) 100% of grandparents in both groups had not heard of chronic early absence, 33% of teachers had not heard of chronic early absence, and 50% of Family Resource Center Staff had not heard of chronic early absence; 3) 47% of grandparent-led households met the criteria of chronic early absence while only 18% of parent/other guardian-led households met criteria of chronic early absence; 4) 0% of the parents were involved in the child’s life or education in the grandparent-led households while 50% of the parents were involved in the child’s life or education in parent/other guardian-led households; 5) 20% of children in grandparent-led households with chronic early absence had disciplinary actions while 100% of children in grandparent-led households with high attendance had significant disciplinary actions; and 6) Sickness was the primary reason for absences in grandparent-led families with chronic early absence; 7) A majority of grandparents in both groups used verbal communication with teachers and school staff, but written communication was preferred by each group.