Helping with Grandkids May Protect Against Cognitive Decline

A new study published in Psychology and Aging shows that grandparents who provide childcare score higher on tests of both memory and verbal fluency. Researchers at Tilburg University examined data from 2,887 English grandparents older than 50.

"What stood out most was that being a caregiving grandparent seemed to matter more for cognitive functioning than how often grandparents provided care," said lead researcher Flavia Chereches. Grandmothers who provided care saw less decline on cognitive tests over the study period.

“Researchers at Tilburg University examined data from 2,887 English grandparents older than 50.”