It’s child’s play: Analysis reveals why becoming a grandparent is good for the brain and can keep men and women more active
- Experts from Johanes Gutenberg University analyzed 14,810 people.
- Findings show having grandchildren can improve mental and physical health
Becoming a grandparent may remind you that you’re not as young as you used to be, but rest assured: it could boost your intelligence and reduce your risk of depression later in life.
At the same time, grandchildren could also allow men and women to stay more active, while keeping them as children seems important for their well-being.
An analysis of 14,810 people aged 50-80, a third of whom have become grandparents, suggests chasing after a child later in life could have positive effects on physical and mental health – but that depends on the amount of work you do.
It was found that women who cared for their grandchildren on a daily basis had worse well-being than others, perhaps because it became too much of a burden.
Professor Reyn van Ewijk, who led the study at Johanes Gutenberg University in Germany, said: “Having grandchildren can give people new meaning to their lives, a new role and increased social interaction.
An analysis of 14,810 people between the ages of 50 and 80, a third of whom have become grandparents, suggests chasing after a child later in life could have positive effects on personal health.
It was found that women who cared for their grandchildren on a daily basis had worse well-being than others, perhaps because it became too much of a burden.
“That could explain our findings, because all sorts of grandparenting tasks, from reading a book to a child to pushing a pram, are probably good for you.”
In the study, grandmothers close to their children — talking to them in person or on the phone several times a week — took a memory test before and after having grandchildren and completed a questionnaire to indicate whether they had symptoms of depression.
On average, after becoming grandparents, women performed much better on tests where they had to memorize a list of ten words, and were around 3% less likely to show signs of depression.
But there were no significant changes in the men who became grandfathers.
People close to their children were also asked how crucial they find everyday activities to live independently, such as cooking, cleaning and dressing.
After becoming grandparents, men and women were 1 to 2 percent less likely to report being unable to perform at least one of these tasks.
The physical demands of being a grandparent can help to be more active and avoid frailty and mobility issues.
However, grandparents who never looked after their grandchildren saw worse declines in well-being than non-grandparents, suggesting they feel they are missing out. childhood of their young.
And the 12 percent of grandmothers who cared for their grandchildren daily without their parents are experiencing an average decline in well-being compared to before they were grandparents.
The study, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, finds that being a grandparent reduces the well-being of those who do not have close contact with their children.
