How Being a Grandparent Can Improve Your Health
Many things change when a child joins a family, and not just for the parents. New grandparents often go through their own transition. Suddenly, they trade their lazy tendencies for a lot of floor-crawling, laughter, and silliness.
Is having a grandchild enough to make a difference in the physical and mental health of older adults?
And certainly, medical experts support this shift. “Being an involved, active, supportive, and storytelling grandparent has potential health benefits for aging,” says Dr. Maria Carney, chief of geriatrics and hospice medicine at Northwell Health and co-author of The Aging Revolution: A History of Senior Health Care and What Really Matters for Older Adults. Carney, who has worked in geriatric care for nearly 30 years, notes that medical literature supports this belief, but she also has dozens of anecdotal stories from her own practice. “What I’ve seen are key elements: a sense of purpose, a sense of permanence, and gratitude,” she says.
“Across cultures, people often say that being a grandparent can ‘keep you young,’ reflecting the joy, energy, and renewed sense of purpose that grandchildren can bring to your life, especially in aging societies,” says Dr. Kanramon Wattanasuntorn, medical director of the Center for Better Aging at St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago. Since older adults often experience depression as they become increasingly isolated in old age, grandchildren can serve as a buffer: “Many grandparents described themselves as more active, joyful, and engaged with the world” after having a grandchild, she says. The sense of connection and purpose that comes from these relationships may help slow some aspects of aging and support overall mental health and a better quality of life.
Here’s how having grandparents can positively impact your health, how to benefit more from this special relationship, and how to reap similar benefits if you don’t have a grandchild in your family.
Grandchildren Make You Happy
“As a grandparent, you might tell us that you feel better and happier,” says Dr. William Hong, professor of geriatrics and palliative care at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Research shows that grandparents tend to have better health, happiness, and less loneliness than their peers without grandchildren. Hong isn’t surprised: Some of his patients beam with pride when they talk about their close relationship with their grandchildren. (Hung cautions that some of these health benefits, and others, may be diminished in more stressful situations, such as caring for grandchildren.)
On a biological level, Wattanasuntorn explains, “Emotional interaction with grandchildren stimulates the release of feel-good hormones, such as oxytocin and endorphins, which help reduce stress and boost happiness.” She adds that feeling needed contributes significantly to life satisfaction, so renewing a sense of purpose motivates you to maintain better health.
They Motivate You to Move
Besides boosting your happiness, children motivate you to move. “This could be walking to the park, playing games, or simply moving more quickly and at a faster rate,” says Wattanasuntorn. Research shows that involved grandparents are more physically active and less sedentary than adults of the same age who don’t provide this type of care for their children. She adds that increased activity is “associated with longer lifespans and better health.”
Not only does this physical activity help shed excess weight and strengthen bones and joints, it also improves mood, as physical activity is one of the best treatments for depression, says Carney.
They Keep You Mentally Active
“Interacting with grandchildren often involves learning new things, adapting to new technologies, and engaging in imaginative play or problem-solving,” says Wattanasuntorn. Helping with homework, reading stories, playing games, and using devices all stimulate the brain and enhance cognitive function.
Of course, it’s not just becoming a grandparent that protects your brain, but the active effort you put into “continuing to learn new activities, keeping your own and others’ schedules, playing games, and reading to others,” says Carney.
Grandparenting provides a social outlet
Another way having a grandchild can boost your health during your golden years is by deepening family ties and expanding your social support network.
“The welfare system in the United States is a family system, no matter what your surname is, so that social support network is vital for longevity and health at any age,” says Carney. She adds that this often leads to greater community involvement as well; engaging in new activities with a grandchild connects you to new organizations, people, and neighbors, “which enriches one’s life.”
Forming these connections may also positively impact your brain health. “Socializing with your children and grandchildren also reduces the chances of social isolation, which can lead to neurological decline due to decreased brain activity over longer periods,” says Wattanasontorn. Research shows that older adults who provided some care for their grandchildren were less likely to die over a 20-year period than those who did not, suggesting that the emotional and social interaction involved in caring for grandchildren can promote longevity, she says.
What if you don’t have grandchildren?
Older adults without grandchildren can still reap some benefits. Many of the health benefits associated with grandparenting aren’t limited to children; they relate to increased physical activity and social engagement.
One way to get involved in the community is to look for local programs that encourage intergenerational bonding, which promotes social connection, reduces loneliness, and provides a sense of purpose. Volunteer as a mentor at an after-school club, for example, or tutor children in chess, or contribute to the local library. You may even be able to volunteer in a hospital’s postpartum unit, where you can cuddle newborns and share any insights you have about parenting with new parents.
And don’t forget to look within your own family. Wattanasuntorn suggests, “If you have nieces, nephews, or close family friends with grandchildren, offer to be a virtual grandparent and take on the associated responsibilities,” such as babysitting and participating in family events.
Research consistently shows that older adults who maintain active, meaningful relationships with younger generations report less loneliness and better mental health, even if those relationships aren’t with biological grandchildren, Wattanasuntorn says. “The key is regular, quality interaction and feeling valued and needed.”
A Final Note on Love and Legacy
Carney likes to remind her patients that caring for grandparents is an opportunity to instill healthy behaviors in the next generation. Healthy eating, communication, nature walks, watching educational programs, playing and teaching games, and reading the books you enjoyed as a child are all beneficial to your child – and to you.
