"As we age, we're encouraged to engage in novel cognitive activities, such as puzzles and word games, to boost cognitive health, which can then improve memory, enhance problem-solving skills, and increase mental speed. A new finding by the American Psychological Association of another activity that can buffer against cognitive decline is that "grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on tests of both memory and verbal fluency compared with those who didn't. This held true regardless of the frequency and type of care the grandparents provided.""
"In a 6-year study in the Netherlands, researchers analyzed data from nearly 3,000 grandparents aged 50 and older. 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."
A 6-year study in the Netherlands analyzed data from nearly 3,000 grandparents aged 50 and older. Grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared with those who did not, regardless of the frequency or type of care. Reported caregiving activities included overnight stays, caring for sick grandchildren, play, homework help, meal preparation, and transportation to school and activities. For grandmothers, providing care associated with slower cognitive decline over time. Conventional cognitive activities such as puzzles and word games also support memory, problem-solving, and mental speed. Grandparental caregiving may offer a social and cognitive buffer against age-related decline.
Read at Psychology Today
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