Taking Care of Grandkids May Give the Brain a Boost, Study Says

Taking Care of Grandkids May Give the Brain a Boost, Study Says

Having a grandparent around to babysit can give parents much-needed time off to catch up on self-care — but grandparents themselves may reap some health benefits from this arrangement, too. A new study published by the American Psychological Association suggests that looking after grandkids can boost cognitive abilities and, in some cases, slow cognitive decline.

Some previous research has suggested that consistent grandchild caregiving improves cognitive functioning. In the recent study, the authors not only evaluated the significance of caregiving frequency but also delved deeper into specifics, comparing grandfathers to grandmothers and the impacts of different activities.