Grandparenting Linked to Better Brain Function and Slower Cognitive Decline
New research from England suggests that being a grandparent who provides care for grandchildren offers significant benefits for brain health, potentially staving off declines in thinking skills and memory. The study indicates that grandparents engaged in childcare activities demonstrate better cognitive functioning than those who do not participate in such caregiving roles.
Study Methodology and Participant Details
The research utilised data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (Elsa), which examines the health, social, well-being, and economic circumstances of individuals aged 50 and older. Researchers analysed information from 2,887 grandparents who completed surveys and cognitive tests on three separate occasions between 2016 and 2022.
The survey specifically asked participants whether they had provided care for a grandchild at any point during the previous year and inquired about the frequency of such care. Grandparents provided detailed information about the types of care they offered, which included:
- Having grandchildren stay overnight
- Caring for grandchildren when they are ill
- Playing with grandchildren or taking them to various places
- Assisting with homework assignments
- Driving grandchildren to school and extracurricular activities
- Preparing meals for grandchildren
Cognitive Testing Procedures
Participants underwent comprehensive cognitive assessments as part of the study. The verbal fluency test required individuals to name as many animals as possible within a strict one-minute timeframe. For memory evaluation, participants were asked to recall ten specific words immediately after hearing them and then again after a five-minute delay period.
Key Findings and Gender Differences
The study revealed that grandparents who provided childcare consistently scored higher on both memory and verbal fluency tests compared to those who did not engage in caregiving activities. This positive association appeared regardless of the amount of care provided or the specific activities undertaken with grandchildren.
Grandmothers, who typically provide more care than grandfathers according to the research, demonstrated particularly notable benefits. The data showed that grandmothers involved in caregiving exhibited slower cognitive decline over time compared to their non-caregiving counterparts.
Research Insights and Expert Commentary
The study, published in the respected journal Psychology and Aging, also discovered that grandparents with initially higher cognitive levels tended to engage more frequently in specific activities with their grandchildren, such as homework assistance. These individuals also participated in a wider variety of caregiving activities overall.
Lead researcher Flavia Chereches from Tilburg University in the Netherlands commented: 'Many grandparents provide regular care for their grandchildren – care that supports families and society more broadly. What stood out most to us was that being a caregiving grandparent seemed to matter more for cognitive functioning than how often grandparents provided care or what exactly they did with their grandchildren.'
Chereches emphasised the need for further research to confirm these findings, noting: 'If there are benefits associated with caregiving for grandparents, they might not depend on how often care is provided, or on the specific activities done with grandchildren, but rather on the broader experience of being involved with caregiving.'
Future Research Directions
The researcher highlighted the importance of examining wider family dynamics in future studies. Chereches explained: 'Providing care voluntarily, within a supportive family environment, may have different effects for grandparents than caregiving in a more stressful environment where they feel unsupported or feel that the caregiving is not voluntary or a burden.'
This research adds to growing evidence about the cognitive benefits of social engagement and meaningful activities in later life, suggesting that grandparenting represents not just a family contribution but potentially a valuable brain health strategy for older adults.
