Grandparents who babysit show higher cognitive scores, study finds

Researchers using data from nearly 2,900 people in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing report that grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on memory and verbal fluency tests than those who did not.

Researchers report that grandparents who provide childcare tend to perform better on cognitive tests than those who do not. The analysis was carried out by teams at Tilburg University, the University of Geneva and Karolinska Institutet and was published in the journal Psychology and Aging. The study drew on responses from almost 2,900 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, collected at three points between 2016 and 2022. Earlier research has linked activities such as regular reading, knowing more than one language, physical activity, healthy eating and good sleep earlier in life with lower risk or delayed onset of dementia. Key findings: - The analysis used survey data from almost 2,900 people enrolled in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with questions asked three times between 2016 and 2022. - Grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared with those who did not, the paper reports. - The association remained after the researchers adjusted for age, health and other factors. - The team reported that being a caregiving grandparent mattered more for cognitive functioning than how often care was provided or the exact tasks involved. - The research team included Tilburg University, the University of Geneva and Karolinska Institutet, and the paper appeared in Psychology and Aging. Summary: The study found an association between providing grandchild care and higher scores on memory and verbal fluency tests, after adjusting for several factors. Undetermined at this time.