Grandparenting Can Be Good Medicine
When you're a grandparent, it's impossible to put a price on the value of spending time with your grandchild. But as a November analysis of the National Poll on Healthy Aging shows, grandmas and grandpas who see a lot of their grandchildren tend to be less lonely and in better mental health — a sign, potentially, that cooking a meal, playing cards or providing childcare for your grandkids could be a great way to boost your wellbeing.
Research has shown that people who spend time with their grandkids tend to be in better mental health and feel less isolated — not that grandchildren directly caused this improvement to mental health. The authors pointed out that it's possible people who spend more time with their grandkids could just be in better mental health to begin with. | Credit: Getty
Overall, the poll, conducted by AARP and Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan, found that respondents with grandchildren tended to feel less isolated and reported better mental health. Among respondents— who were people over 50 — 72% of those with grandchildren (including adopted, step-grandchildren or great grandchildren) said they hardly ever felt isolated, compared to 62% of those who did not have grandchildren. Meanwhile, only 9% of grandparents said they had fair or poor mental health, compared to 13% of those without grandchildren.
"[Not only] is there all the joy that can come from interaction with children and our extended families, there are distinct health benefits as well, that I think had previously been underestimated."
Grandparents who invested more time with their grandkids were even better off: among those who saw grandchildren under 18 every day or almost every day, 78% said they hardly ever feel isolated, versus 73% of those who saw them weekly or monthly and 65% of those who see their grandkids every few months or less.
"[Not only] is there all the joy that can come from interaction with children and our extended families, there are distinct health benefits as well that I think had previously been underestimated," said Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren, poll director and an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan.
The research only found that people who spend time with their grandkids tend to be in better mental health and feel less isolated — not that grandchildren directly caused this improvement to mental health. The authors pointed out that it's possible people who spend more time with their grandkids could just be in better mental health to begin with.
At the same time, these findings fit with other research that suggests loneliness and social isolation are harmful for health, and can cause certain mental health conditions, as Kullgren points out. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, loneliness can increase risk not only for mental health-related conditions like depression, dementia and suicidality, but also conditions like heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Loneliness is common among older adults: last year, Kullgren's own research estimated that a third of adults ages 50 to 80 struggle with loneliness.
Engagement Is Good for Mental Health
In the opinion of study collaborator, Kate Bauer, an associate professor at the University of Michigan who studies grandparents and nutrition, the body of research on grandparent-grandchildren relationships suggests that "There does seem to be something really protective about being really engaged in your grandchildren's lives," including for cognitive and mental health.
"It really protects against isolation," she says, "I think there's something about feeling wanted, feeling heard, feeling like you're contributing." Spending time with young children and working to care for them may push grandparents to challenge themselves, and turn outward to the broader world — whether that's doing demanding tasks to care for grandkids, like giving them a ride to sports practice, or passing on a beloved recipe family recipe, a funny family story or a cultural tradition.
The Role of Grandfathers
Jim Bates, an assistant professor at the Ohio State University who has studied grandfathers, but is not connected with the study, noted his research has found that grandfathers who were more involved in their grandchildren's lives had fewer symptoms of depression, while a lack of access to grandchildren can be harmful to mental health.
Men tend to have smaller social circles than women, research shows, but grandchildren can be an important source of social connection, he says. Researchers have found that having a purpose in life is very important to people as they age, says Bates, and grandfathers may want to pass on things they know, skills or personal traits.
"They're mentoring, they're coaching, they're guiding their grandchildren."
"They're mentoring, they're coaching, they're guiding their grandchildren. And that type of activity is a psychological and a mental benefit for men," says Bates.
Benefits like these suggest that families should make getting grandparents and grandchildren together a priority, even if the kids have a busy schedule, says Kullgren. Another big challenge, he says, is that many families live farther apart, although technology could help to close some of that gap.
As the population of older adults continues to grow, he says, making sure grandparents can see their grandchildren may be one important part of keeping older adults healthy. That might mean making sure grandparents have the financial and health resources they need — and the opportunity to remain active members of their communities.
If speaking to grandparents, he says that he would recommend "Us[ing] any and all opportunities to be present in the lives of your grandchildren, and to not underestimate the power that [grandchildren] can have in their own.’’
