Think grandparents are content sitting in rocking chairs and knitting by the fireplace? Not anymore. Today’s grandparents are breaking stereotypes left and right, embracing fitness regimens, jetting off to new destinations, staying plugged into technology, and juggling work responsibilities with childcare duties. Something has fundamentally shifted in how this generation views aging, and honestly, it’s kind of remarkable.
Let’s be real, modern grandparenting looks nothing like it did a generation ago. These aren’t your typical retirees coasting into their golden years. They’re signing up for marathons, booking multigenerational cruises, FaceTiming grandkids across continents, and in many cases, still contributing to the workforce. So what exactly is driving this wave of hyperactive grandparents? The answer might surprise you.
Grandparents Are Hitting the Gym More Than Ever
Here’s something that might sound crazy, yet Baby Boomers prioritize staying generally active and maintaining mental health, with roughly one third visiting fitness clubs more than twelve times per month according to the ABC Fitness Wellness Watch Fall 2024 report, and a strong majority reporting they are on track to meet their fitness goals. They’re not just dabbling in light exercise either. Research shows that nearly ninety percent of individuals aged fifty five and above express a strong desire to remain active as they grow older.
The motivation goes beyond vanity. The baby boomer generation includes seventy three million Americans, all of whom will be over age sixty five by 2030, and according to the 2023 IHRSA U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report, adults sixty five and older now visit gyms and studios more often than any other age group. Fitness programs designed for older adults are expanding rapidly. A 2024 industry report found that programs labeled “low intensity,” “functional,” or “active aging” consistently attract more participants than those called “senior fitness”. The terminology matters, because this generation refuses to be labeled “senior” anything.
What’s really fascinating is how physical activity levels change when grandparents spend time with grandchildren. Research from the European Review of Aging and Physical Activity highlights the positive impact of providing grandchild care among middle aged and older adults in view of their energy expenditure related behavior, potentially improving other health related outcomes in grandparents. Chasing toddlers around playgrounds and keeping up with energetic kids turns out to be excellent cardio.
They’re Taking Multigenerational Travel to New Heights
Remember when grandparents used to just visit? Now they’re planning the whole trip. Seventy one percent of grandparents surveyed have already traveled with their children and grandchildren, and fifty seven percent plan to take a multigenerational trip in the future, according to the 2025 U.S. Family Travel Survey. These aren’t simple weekend getaways either. The average family spent approximately eight thousand fifty two dollars on travel in 2024.
The reasons behind this travel boom are multifaceted. Seventy four percent of parents embrace the idea of vacations involving extended family, and more than fifty five percent have started opting for trips that include grandparents as well as kids, according to The Mountaineer. Think about it: grandparents have more discretionary income than previous generations, they’re healthier and more mobile, and they genuinely crave quality time with family members who are scattered across the country.
Today’s parents and grandparents are not slowing down as they get older, and travel advisors note they shouldn’t be afraid to suggest adventurous activities just because some of the people in the group are a bit more mature. Zip lining in Costa Rica at seventy? Why not. Safari adventures in Tanzania? Sign them up. This generation is redefining what’s possible in later life.
Technology Adoption Is Bridging Generational Gaps
If you think grandparents are tech illiterate, you’re living in the past. Marketing research shows eighty two percent of Baby Boomers have at least one social media account and they spend an average of twenty seven hours online per week. That’s not just passive scrolling either. They’re video chatting, sharing photos, texting, and staying remarkably connected to their grandchildren’s lives.
Social media technologies like texting, video chatting, and photo sharing make it possible for grandparents and grandchildren to stay connected no matter where they live. Younger family members are often mentioned in interviews and polls as primary reasons for using social media, and moreover, children and grandchildren may actively encourage their parents and grandparents to adopt social media and provide the technical assistance to make it possible.
The pandemic accelerated this digital transformation dramatically. Grandparents who previously resisted smartphones suddenly found themselves learning how to FaceTime, Zoom, and navigate messaging apps out of necessity. That temporary solution has become permanent for most. Social media provides wonderful ways for grandparents to stay connected and keep up with children and grandchildren, and with just a few taps, they can see the latest photos of a new baby, watch a graduation video, or even attend a virtual family reunion from across the country.
Many Grandparents Are Still Working
Retirement? That’s become more of a suggestion than a destination for many grandparents. While specific data on grandparents in the workforce is limited, broader employment trends paint an interesting picture. The share of families with at least one employed family member was little changed at eighty percent in 2023, among the nation’s eighty three point eight million families. Many of these families include grandparents who continue contributing to household income.
The reasons are varied. Some grandparents work because they genuinely enjoy it and aren’t ready to give up their careers. Others need the income to supplement retirement savings that didn’t stretch as far as anticipated. Still others are part of the gig economy, freelancing or consulting on their own terms. Extended families rank as the second most common source of support for mothers raising children, with one in three mothers saying their extended family, which includes grandparents or siblings, provided a lot of help, and married and unmarried mothers are equally likely to receive help from extended families. Working grandparents often balance employment with significant childcare responsibilities.
This juggling act between work and family isn’t necessarily a burden. Many grandparents report that staying professionally engaged keeps them mentally sharp and socially connected. The traditional retirement timeline is being rewritten, and grandparents are leading that charge.
They’re Actively Caring for Grandchildren
Here’s where things get really interesting. In 2023, about two point one million grandparents were responsible for their grandchildren. These aren’t occasional babysitting arrangements. In 2021, grandparents were more likely to be responsible for their grandchildren for five years or longer compared to 2012, according to Census Bureau data.
Over seven million grandparents live with grandchildren, with one third responsible for grandchild care, according to FCHIP’s 2023 Grandparents Day Report. The nature of this care varies tremendously. Some grandparents have taken on full custody roles due to family circumstances. Others provide regular childcare that allows both parents to work. Still others offer intermittent support during school breaks and emergencies.
The physical demands are real. Although playing with grandchildren is associated with positive health impacts for grandparents, many older adults express concerns about keeping up and avoiding injury while playing, yet regular physical activity can counteract the decline in muscle mass that comes with age. This creates a fascinating feedback loop: caring for grandchildren motivates grandparents to stay fit, which in turn enables them to provide better care.
The Financial Reality Behind Active Grandparenting
Grandparents represent a strong economic base with great spending power but the fundamentals of grandparenting remain the same, according to AARP research. This generation accumulated wealth during more prosperous economic times, owns their homes outright in many cases, and benefits from pensions and retirement accounts that younger generations won’t have access to in the same way.
They’re using that financial power actively. Beyond travel spending, grandparents are contributing to grandchildren’s education funds, helping with down payments on homes, and providing financial stability for their adult children’s families. The economic impact of grandparent spending ripples through entire industries from hospitality to retail to entertainment.
However, the picture isn’t universally rosy. While sixty nine percent of non residing and non custodial grandparents experience improved outcomes via grandchild involvement, sixty eight percent of custodial grandparents experience decreased health and wellbeing when assuming caregiving responsibilities. The financial and physical strain on custodial grandparents represents a significant challenge that society is still grappling with how to address.
Health Benefits and Challenges of Active Grandparenting
The relationship between grandparenting and health is complicated. On one hand, research highlights the importance of recognizing caregiving for one’s grandchildren as an important window of opportunity in view of improving middle aged and older adults’ physical activity and sedentary behavior levels as well as the potential benefits thereof in promoting an active lifestyle, contributing to healthy aging. Staying engaged with grandchildren provides purpose, motivation, and structure that many retirees otherwise lack.
Physical activity matters immensely for this age group. Physical activity has been proven to contribute to the prevention of several non communicable diseases, and adequate levels of physical activity seem to prevent falls in elderly and could retain or improve their cognitive and functional ability, with research showing that being sufficiently physically active increases the likelihood of healthy aging by thirty nine percent.
The challenge is maintaining balance. Grandparents who overextend themselves physically or emotionally can experience burnout, injuries, and declining health. Finding the sweet spot between active engagement and appropriate rest remains an ongoing negotiation for many in this generation. Yet most would agree the benefits outweigh the challenges. Watching grandchildren grow, sharing experiences across generations, and remaining relevant in their grandchildren’s lives provides rewards that no amount of peaceful retirement can match.
Today’s grandparents are pioneering a completely new model of aging. They’re proving that getting older doesn’t mean slowing down, that family involvement doesn’t require proximity, and that technology can enhance rather than replace genuine connection. The stereotype of the sedentary grandparent is dead. Long live the active grandparent generation. What do you think about this shift? Does it match your own experiences with grandparents?
