As people grow older, many worry about memory loss and declining thinking skills. Forgetting names, struggling to find the right words, or feeling slower when thinking can be unsettling changes.
Scientists around the world are searching for everyday activities that might help protect brain health in later life.
A new study suggests that one simple and familiar role may help: caring for grandchildren.
The research, published by the American Psychological Association in the journal Psychology and Aging, found that grandparents who help care for their grandchildren tend to maintain better memory and thinking skills as they age.
The findings suggest that staying involved in caregiving roles may act as a buffer against cognitive decline, offering benefits not only to families but also to grandparents themselves.
Many grandparents regularly help look after their grandchildren. They may step in so parents can work, rest, or manage daily responsibilities. This kind of care often plays a vital role in family life and supports society more broadly.
However, scientists have long wondered whether this support might also benefit the grandparents who provide it. The new study set out to explore that question.
The research was led by Flavia Chereches, a researcher from Tilburg University in the Netherlands. She and her colleagues analyzed data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a large and ongoing study that tracks health and wellbeing in older adults. The analysis included 2,887 grandparents, all over the age of 50, with an average age of 67.
Each participant took part in surveys and cognitive tests on three separate occasions between 2016 and 2022. The tests measured skills such as memory and verbal fluency, which refers to how easily people can find and use words. These abilities are often among the first to decline with age, making them important markers of cognitive health.
Participants were asked whether they had provided any care for their grandchildren during the previous year. The surveys also gathered detailed information about how often they helped and what kinds of activities they were involved in.
Caregiving included a wide range of tasks, such as watching grandchildren overnight, caring for them when they were sick, playing games, helping with homework, preparing meals, and driving them to school or activities.
When the researchers compared the test results, a clear pattern emerged. Grandparents who provided care for their grandchildren performed better on memory and verbal fluency tests than those who did not.
These differences remained even after accounting for factors such as age, physical health, and other background characteristics that could influence brain function.
One striking finding was that the benefits did not depend strongly on how often grandparents provided care or on the specific activities they performed.
Whether grandparents helped occasionally or more regularly, and whether they played, taught, or transported their grandchildren, the cognitive advantages were similar. This suggests that the overall experience of being involved in caregiving may be more important than the details of the care itself.
The study also found differences between men and women. In particular, grandmothers who cared for their grandchildren showed less cognitive decline over time than grandmothers who did not provide care.
While the study did not fully explain why this effect appeared stronger in women, it highlights the need for further research into how gender, family roles, and social expectations shape the impact of caregiving.
Researchers believe several factors may help explain these findings. Caring for grandchildren often involves mental stimulation, such as problem-solving, planning, and communication.
It also encourages physical activity and social interaction, both of which are known to support brain health. In addition, feeling useful and connected to family may improve emotional wellbeing, which can also protect cognitive function.
However, the researchers emphasized that caregiving is not always beneficial in every situation. The family environment appears to matter greatly.
Providing care voluntarily, within a supportive and appreciative family setting, may have very different effects than caregiving that feels forced, stressful, or overwhelming. When grandparents feel pressured, unsupported, or burdened, the stress may outweigh any potential cognitive benefits.
When reviewing these findings, it is important to consider the strengths and limits of the study. The research followed a large group of older adults over several years and used repeated cognitive testing, which strengthens confidence in the results.
However, the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove that caring for grandchildren directly prevents cognitive decline. It is also possible that grandparents with better cognitive health are more likely to take on caregiving roles in the first place.
Even so, the findings add to growing evidence that staying socially and mentally engaged in later life is important for brain health. The study suggests that helping care for grandchildren, when done in a positive and supportive environment, may be one meaningful way older adults stay mentally active and connected.
Overall, this research highlights how everyday family roles can shape long-term health in subtle but important ways. While caring for grandchildren should never come at the cost of wellbeing, it may offer older adults more than just joy and connection. It could also help keep their minds sharper as they age.
If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
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