Play with grandkids to ‘stay sharp’
A new Australian study shows people looking for ways to lower the risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease should spend quality time with their grandchildren.
The study looked at 186 women, aged 57 to 68, who took three different tests of mental sharpness. The positive findings were particularly noticeable among grandmothers who cared for their grandchildren.
Researchers said the findings were good news for post-menopausal women, who seek ways to lower the risks of developing Alzheimer's
disease and other mental disorders.
However, researchers found looking after young children five days a week can take its toll and reduce mental sharpness among older
people.
Among the 120 grandmothers, those who spent one day a week taking care of grandchildren performed best on two in three tests.
But those taking care of grandchildren for five or more days a week did significantly worse on one of the tests, which assessed
working memory and mental processing speed.
The volunteers were from the University of Melbourne’s Women's Healthy Ageing Project study, with the findings published by the
North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Dr Margery Gass, executive director of NAMS, said: “We know that older women who are socially engaged have better cognitive function
and a lower risk of developing dementia later, but too much of a good thing just might be bad.”
The report said: “The more time grandmothers spent taking care of grandchildren, the more they felt that their children had been
more demanding of them, so maybe mood plays a role in the unexpected result.”
Dr Gass said: “Because grand mothering is such an important and common social role for post-menopausal women, we need to know more
about its effects on their future health.”
Seniors lobby group, COTA Australia, recently called for greater recognition of grandparents who take primary responsibility for
their grandchildren, including greater financial support, better access to legal services and options for respite.
In its submission to the Senate Inquiry into grandparents who take primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren, COTA
asked members and older people to identify the biggest issues they faced.
The financial strain of raising grandchildren, cost of legal action and feeling socially isolated and unsupported topped the list.
Ian Yates, COTA chief executive, says the Social Policy Research Centre estimates up to 63,520 grandparents have sole caring
responsibility for their grandchildren in Australia.
“This is a huge gap being filled by older Australians because their parents are unable or unwilling to care for them due to issues
ranging from substance abuse to criminal conviction to serious mental illness,” he says.
“These grandparents want some kind of formal recognition of the vital role they play in society and in the lives of their
grandchildren.”
