Many things change as you grow older. We often slow down, keep to ourselves, and spend more time indoors. However, adding a grandchild to one’s life can bring about profound changes. Grandchildren add a reason to live. People who are slowing down and considering their lives almost over are suddenly doing a whole lot of crawling on the floor, laughing, being silly, and learning new devices. Is this Healthy? Medical experts say yes! Fall festivals, grandchildren, and grandparents go together!
Here are four ways a grandchild can improve the health of the grandparents.
Happiness
Research shows that grandparents tend to have better self-reported health, happiness, and less loneliness than their peers who don’t have grandkids. Grandparents often beam with pride when speaking about their grandchild. Although some situations may be stressful, the grandchildren are innocent and bring happiness.
On a biological level, emotional engagement in interacting with grandchildren is likely to release feel-good hormones, such as oxytocin and endorphins, which help reduce stress and promote happiness. Feeling needed is also a huge contributor to life satisfaction. Gaining a f purpose through grandchildren can make you motivated to maintain your health better.
Agility
Kids get you moving. This could mean walking to the park, playing games, or simply moving around more quickly and frequently, trying to keep up with the youngster. Research shows that involved grandparents are more physically active and less sedentary than adults of a similar age who are not involved with their grandchildren.
This physical activity not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also strengthens your bones and joints. Moving also contributes to improved mood, because one of the best treatments for depression is physical activity at any age.
Mental Sharpness
Interacting with grandkids often involves learning new things, adapting to new technology, and engaging in imaginative play or problem-solving. Whether you help with homework, read stories, play games, or navigate devices, these all challenge the brain and sharpen cognitive functions.
Grandparents, especially grandmothers, tend to have higher cognitive function when compared to those who do not engage with grandchildren.
Research shows that it is not the act of becoming a grandparent that safeguards your brain. One can live miles away from the grandchildren and not receive the full benefits. However, the active effort one puts into the relationship, such as continuing to learn new activities, maintaining schedules for yourself and others, playing games, and reading to others, is what keeps the mind alert.
Socialization
As we age, we tend to remain at home, whether for health or personal reasons. Grandchildren change that attitude. This new addition to the family can help mend past differences.
Engaging in new activities with a grandchild connects you to new organizations, people, and neighbors, thereby enriching your life.
 Research shows that older adults who provided some care for grandchildren had a lower risk of death over 20 years compared to those who did not—suggesting that the emotional and social engagement involved in grandparenting can boost longevity, she says.
None?
If you do not have grandchildren, you may be able to find some. Check with your local church or school to see if there are children who could benefit from having an elderly person in their lives. Take pictures and be a part of this child’s life. Let him know he is loved. And you will feel the same right back.
