Many grandparents gush about the joys of becoming one, explaining how caring for a tot is more enjoyable the second time round as you’ve already experienced any stress that can be thrown your way. And now a fresh study has shown just how beneficial caring for grandchildren can actually be.
New research from a team of international scientists looked at survival rates of a study group of more than 500 German and Swiss adults, aged between 70 and 103. They discounted any grandparents who were the primary caregivers of their children’s offspring, focusing instead on those who provided occasional childcare and compared them to older people who had no care duties. Those who had no children but gave emotional support as a carer to others were also looked at, comparing to those who didn’t act in any way as a carer.
