What is the role of a Grandmother in a Malawian society and how can we as health care workers support her?

Abstract

Grandparents are family members and form an important
element of the extended family. In traditional cultures,
grandparents often have a direct and clear role in relation to
the care and nurture of children. This has tended to be lost
with the development of the nuclear family. In cases where
the parents are not willing or unable to provide adequate
care for their children, grandparents may take on the role
of primary caregivers. In traditional East Asian cultures
influenced by Confucianism, filial piety is one of the highest
moral values. Grandparents usually exercise their authority
on family matters, and their descendants should obey their
seniors. This kind of structure gradually eases with the
increasing influence of western culture and the increasing
number of nuclear families.

Malawi Medical Journal Vol. 19 (3) 2007: pp. 126-127