Artykuł ma charakter empiryczny. Celem badań było uzyskanie odpowiedzi na pytanie, jak postrzegają realizowane przez siebie role dziadkowie i babcie wnuków niesłyszących? W badaniu wzięło udział 109 osób starszych, które są babciami (54 osoby) i dziadkami (55 osób). Badania miały charakter eksploracyjny. Analiza materiału empirycznego pozwoliła zdiagnozować reakcje dziadków i babć na uzyskaną diagnozę uszkodzenia słuchu ich wnuka. Ponadto osoby starsze zaprezentowały funkcje wykonywane w rodzinie, a także przyczyny, które utrudniały im wykonywanie powyższych funkcji, i wskazały konsekwencje uszkodzenia słuchu dla rozwoju dziecka. Dziadkowie i babcie również podkreślali potrzebę wielowymiarowego wsparcia społecznego, dostosowanego do ich możliwości i dostosowanego do potrzeb rozwojowych i edukacyjnych niesłyszącego wnuka.

The role of grandparents in the development of a deaf child
The article is empirical. The aim of the research was to answer the question: how do they perceive the roles of grandparents and grandmothers of the deaf grandchildren? The study involved 109 elderly people who are grandmothers (54 people) and grandparents (55 people). The research was exploratory. The analysis of the empirical material allowed to diagnose the reactions of grandparents and grandmothers to the news about the damage to the grandson of their grandson. In addition, older people identified functions performed in the family, as well as the reasons that made it difficult for them to perform the above functions and indicated the consequences of hearing impairment for the child's development. Grandparents and grandmothers also emphasized the need for multidimensional social support, tailored to their capabilities and adapted to the developmental and educational needs of the deaf grandchild.

Keywords: grandparents, grandmothers, family role, deaf grandchild

The role of grandparents in the development of a deaf child
The article is empirical. The aim of the research was to answer the question: how do they perceive the roles of grandparents and grandmothers of the deaf grandchildren? The study involved 109 elderly people who are grandmothers (54 people) and grandparents (55 people). The research was exploratory. The analysis of the empirical material allowed to diagnose the reactions of grandparents and grandmothers to the news about the damage to the grandson of their grandson. In addition, older people identified functions performed in the family, as well as the reasons that made it difficult for them to perform the above functions and indicated the consequences of hearing impairment for the child's development. Grandparents and grandmothers also emphasized the need for multidimensional social support, tailored to their capabilities and adapted to the developmental and educational needs of the deaf grandchild.