Caring for grandchildren not only brings joy and support to grandparents and their adult children but also may help prevent cognitive decline, according to a recent study.
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The study, published in the journal Psychology and Aging by Chereches et al. (2026), found that grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on memory and verbal fluency tests.
The new findings by the American Psychological Association were reached from analyzed data from nearly 3,000 grandparents aged 50 and older in a 6-year study in the Netherlands.
The activities the grandparents reported included watching them overnight, caring for sick grandchildren, playing with them, helping with homework, making meals, and driving them to school and extracurricular activities.
The researchers also noted that, for grandmothers, the benefits result in slower cognitive decline later in life than for grandmothers who didn’t care for grandchildren.
Engaging with grandchildren can also improve cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills.
However, challenges such as conflicts over boundaries and support within the family context need to be addressed for caregiving to be mutually beneficial.
Overall, caring for grandchildren is not only an act of love but also an investment in cognitive vitality and a preventive measure against future decline.
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