The New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) and the State Office for the Aging are marking the 30th anniversary of Grandparents Day on September 13, 2009, by celebrating the role grandparents play in the lives of New Yorkers, and by offering the following safety reminder for New York’s grandparents: “Be sure to provide a safe environment for grandchildren to enjoy!”

The number of grandparents in our nation has grown to an estimated 70 million, according to grandparents.com, since President Jimmy Carter created Grandparents Day in 1978 when there were an estimated 17 million grandparents in America. These days many grandparents participate in raising their grandchildren, and a large percentage have the full-time job of raising them. According to a U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey, 6.2 million, or 5.3% of all U.S. households, are now multigenerational - - up from 5 million in 2000. Indeed, Dr. Kornhaber, author of "The Grandparent Guide," estimates “that the number of children being raised by grandparents in America today, part- or full-time, is now close to 8 million.”

“Nothing can compare to the joy a grandchild can bring to his or her grandparent” said Mindy A. Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board. “Grandparents are more active, more involved and more connected to their grandchildren these days. Whether your grandchild comes for an occasional visit, spends their days with you while parents work, or lives with you full time, the CPB endeavors to help you keep them safe from potential household and product dangers. The story of time spent with Grandma and Grandpa should always have a happy ending!”

Grandparents lead 37%, or approximately 44 million U.S. households, according to grandparents.com, which also estimates that this number will increase “at twice the average annual rate of U.S. households,” and that the number is projected to “hit 50 million by 2015.”

“A growing number of grandparents and other older relatives find themselves caring for their grandchildren and other relative children due to death, substance abuse, mental illness, incarceration, military deployment and other reasons. They’ve taken on this responsibility after years of raising their own children and at a time when they were looking forward to retirement and less responsibility,” said Michael J. Burgess, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA). “We owe a debt of gratitude to all grandparents who care for and enrich the lives of grandchildren by sharing their time, energy and experiences with them.”

In order to help New Yorkers keep their grandchildren safe, the CPB has joined with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to provide suggestions for making homes safer for the little people in their lives. The following tips and the other resources may be a good gift idea for grandparents this year.

To make your home safer:

• Check all the items, including toys and durable children’s products such as cribs, high chairs, strollers and car seats to be sure they have not been the subject of a recall from the CPSC. Log on to Important Recalls for more information.
• Don’t give grandchildren under the age of 3 items with small parts.
• Use caution with items containing magnets.
• Be careful with older toys and durable children’s products as they may not meet current safety standards.
• Make sure the crib you use is safe and sturdy, with no loose or missing hardware, no gaps between the mattress and the base, and the appropriate space between the slats.
• Don’t tie toys around children’s necks.
• Never allow young children to wear clothing with drawstrings. Drawstrings at the neck and waist are a safety hazard on children’s garments. They can be caught on cribs, playground equipment, and vehicle doors, causing dragging injuries or strangulation.
• Keep all medicines in containers with safety caps.
• Be sure medicines, cleaning products, and other household chemicals are out of reach and locked away from children.
• Use safety gates and window guards to prevent falls and locks on cabinets and draws, where appropriate, to prevent injuries.
• Use outlet covers and plates to prevent electrical shock.
• Never leave a child alone. Whether near water in a pool or bathtub, inside or outside a car, at play outside or in your home, accidents can happen in a second.
• When bathing young children, check the water with your wrist or elbow to be sure it is not too hot.
• Be sure children ride in cars using appropriate restraint systems or car seats that meet current safety protocols.
• Shorten cords on window blinds and shades to help prevent strangulation.
• Make sure children wear helmets when they ride tricycles or bicycles.
• Follow playground and amusement park safety rules and age appropriate guidelines for equipment while at play.

Check the CPB’s many resources about keeping children of all ages safe. Children can be helpful participants in their own safety as well. The CPB’s “Kids Page,”, hosts safety resources geared for youngsters. Additional safety resources can be found on the Kids in Danger organizational website.

The Kinship Navigator, an on-line statewide resource for information and referral where grandparents can access information on laws, legal rights and issues on custody and visitation, eligibility for benefits and entitlement programs, tax credits, respite care and other local services, is helping a growing number of grandparents and other older relatives who are caring for their grandchildren. Consumers may also check NYSOFA’s website for more information.

The New York State Office for the Aging is part of the Executive Department in New York State and is the designated State Unit on Aging under the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended. The mission of the New York State Office for the Aging is to help older New Yorkers to be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs and services which support and empower the elderly and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations which serve them.

The CPB, established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, is the State’s top consumer watchdog and think tank. The CPB’s core mission is to protect New Yorkers by publicizing unscrupulous and questionable business practices and product recalls; conducting investigations and hearings; enforcing the “Do Not Call” law; researching issues; developing legislation; creating consumer education programs and materials; responding to individual marketplace complaints by securing voluntary agreements; and, representing the interests of consumers before the Public Service Commission and other State and federal agencies.