6 Ways Grandchildren Help Keep Their Grandparents Young & Healthy

Did you know that grandchildren play an important role in keeping their grandparents young and healthy? This is a true story! Indeed, there are studies to back it up! Continue reading to find out more.

We've been hearing a lot lately about how we need to keep our children away from their grandparents for their own safety. While that is true in terms of current events, we need to get them back together as soon as it is safe to do so.

Grandchildren may be able to keep Alzheimer's at bay.

A study published in the journal of the North American Menopause Society in 2014 discovered that grandchildren help lower their grandmothers' risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Postmenopausal women were given a battery of cognitive tests by the researchers. Participants who cared for their grandchildren at least once a week performed better on the tests than those who did not.

There is, however, a catch to this one. Grandmothers who spent five or more days a week caring for their grandchildren scored significantly lower. According to CBS News, spending too much time together made Grandma "more likely to lose her marbles." As a result, balance is essential. Make sure your children's grandparents get some alone time as well.

They aid in the general improvement of their grandparents' memory.

Grandchildren may help improve their grandparents' overall cognitive functioning and memory, in addition to delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Ajit Varki, author of a 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, joked with Parents Magazine, "Now you're really seeing natural selection for good grandmothers."

But he has a valid point! Grandparents who help raise their grandchildren should be more cautious in general. To keep up with our little ones, they have to think on their feet. It stands to reason that they employ cognitive thinking more frequently than their counterparts.

Grandchildren allow grandparents to continue their education.

Another important way that grandchildren can assist their grandparents in staying sharp is by providing them with numerous opportunities to learn. This is supported by an intriguing study conducted by the University of Arizona. Researchers discovered that seniors who were taught how to use Facebook (and actually used it on a regular basis) performed 25% better on cognitive tests than those who were not.

Grandchildren can play a significant role in assisting their grandparents in learning new technology and adapting to the ever-changing world of social media. This not only improves their memory, but also makes grandparents feel more connected. So, rather than the other way around, encourage your children to spend some time teaching grandma and grandpa something new the next time they get together.

They contribute to their grandparents' social lives.

A German study discovered that grandparents who participate in caring for their grandchildren (even if only a little bit) are less lonely than those who do not. According to the study, helping their families by caring for grandchildren increased grandparents' self-esteem. It all makes sense. After all, everyone wants to feel needed.

There is even more good news. According to the study's authors, "caring for grandchildren may also expand the social circle of grandparents and provide additional opportunities to establish relationships with other parents or grandparents."

In other words, they have larger social circles in general. As we all know, getting together with our girlfriends once a week can be extremely beneficial to our health. That applies to all of us, from teenagers to senior citizens.

Adult grandchildren can help prevent depression.

Here's something for all of us grown-ups who still have grandmothers. We've discovered that we're just as good for them now as we were when we were younger. Boston College completed a 19-year research project that followed the mental health of 376 grandparents in 2013. The study discovered that spending time with older grandchildren helped senior citizens avoid depression.

Adults who have a close relationship with their grandmothers are less depressed in general than those who do not. While the study focused on women, there is no reason why it cannot also apply to grandfathers!

Grandchildren are beneficial to the immune system.

Children are essentially tiny germ factories! That is something we learn every year when they return to school and the entire family gets a cold! Exposure to common, everyday germs on a regular (and low-level) basis helps give the immune system a much-needed boost. If you think of your immune system as an army, those low-level germs are like drills. Spending time with grandchildren helps to keep our parents' systems trained and ready to go.

There is, however, a flip side to this one. It's one thing to expose elderly people to "normal" germs; we don't want our children to expose them to more dangerous bugs. Keep your child home from Grandma's house if they are sick or maybe carrying something more serious than a common cold. Even a common cold can cause serious health problems in some elderly people, so consider your parents' health before exposing them to your children's germs.