BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- More than 2.5 million children in the U.S. are being raised by grandparents and other relatives because their parents are unable to care for them.

ABC 23 spent an evening with 78-year-old Maxine Bazzo, who is now raising her 8-year-old granddaughter, something she didn't plan to be doing at this age.

"I know a number of grandparents that have their grandchildren," said Bazzo.

Bazzo permanently adopted Marissa last year when Marissa's mother died, and a judge placed a restraining order against her father.

"I don't know what has happened to parents these days. They can't seem to live a normal life and keep their children and I'm afraid it has a lot to do with drugs."

We met Bazzo through Kinship Support Services, an organization aimed at helping extended family members take on parenthood a second time around.

Rob Rephen, of Kinship Support Services, said, "More than half our clients are grandparents and the majority are single, either widowed or single, so this is mainly an issue of single women. In fact, the most common age is 60."

"I'm 70 years older than she is and that's the unreal part. That it would be at this stage in life because I planned on retiring and having fun with my friends and doing things and going places," Bazzo said.

Bazzo said her biggest challenge now is not her age. "I'm still sharp," she said.

But money is a different story. "It is very difficult for grandparents to find good help for these kids because none of us can afford to pay," she said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that it costs at least $7,000 a year to raise a child -- a cost that many older people who are on a fixed income or retired do not financially plan for. In addition to financial problems, they face emotional ones.

"Because all these kids are hurt from not being around parents, by feeling like they've been taken away, abandoned by parents, so they have emotional problems." said Rephen.

"My children were never like this. They were easier to raise, but I didn't have her the first years of her life to mold her so I have to have her unlearn a lot," said Bazzo.

But as difficult as some days may be, Bazzo and Marissa agree they wouldn't have it any other way.

Kinship Support Services offers help such as free counseling, tutoring, legal advice, support groups, and respite care. You can contact them at 377-0377.