Scientists have pointed to an improvement in the cognitive functions of the elderly when communicating with their grandchildren.

There are many tips for maintaining brain health, from physical activity to solving puzzles and socializing with friends. New research from the American Psychological Association shows that caring for and communicating with grandchildren can also support brain health. This was reported on January 28 by Popular Science magazine.

"Many grandparents regularly take care of their grandchildren — care that supports families and society as a whole. However, the question remains whether caring for grandchildren can benefit the grandparents themselves. In this study, we wanted to find out whether caring for grandchildren could benefit the health of grandparents, potentially slowing cognitive decline," said study co—author and PhD student at Tilburg University in the Netherlands Flavia Chereches.

To gain a deeper understanding of how caring for grandchildren affects the brain, Chereches and her team analyzed data from 2,887 grandparents. All participants were over 50 years old. Between 2016 and 2022, they took cognitive tests and answered questionnaire questions three times. The questionnaire asked if they took care of their grandchildren, as well as how often and what kind of assistance they provided. Types of care included night care, help when the grandchildren were sick, games, help with homework, driving to school, cooking.

Studies have shown that grandparents who spent time with their grandchildren performed better on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared to those who did not. These results remained unchanged even after age, health status, and other factors were taken into account. More involved grandparents also scored higher, regardless of the frequency and type of care. This was especially true for grandmothers: those who regularly took care of their grandchildren showed less cognitive decline.

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According to Chereches, the researchers were most struck by the impact of caring for children, rather than the frequency of care or other actions towards grandchildren. The specialist pointed out the need to conduct additional research to confirm these results.

At the same time, she stressed that the benefits of caring for grandchildren may depend not on the frequency of care or activity, but on the experience of participating in the process itself. Chereches added that future research should examine the effects of family context and other factors on brain aging.

"Voluntary care in a supportive family environment may have different consequences for grandparents than leaving in a more stressful situation, when they feel deprived of support or believe that care is not voluntary or burdensome," the researcher concluded.

On January 27, Galina Volkova, head of the Department of Medical Prevention at Odintsovo Regional Hospital, internist and nutritionist, spoke about foods that are useful for brain function. According to her, brain function is improved by foods high in omega-3, including fish (salmon, mackerel, herring).

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