Grand-parenting for healthy ageing in women: Fact or fiction?

Globally our populations are ageing and with this trend, there is a rise in chronic disease. We know that lifestyle and environment are significant contributors to risk for disease, quality of life and function. Despite this representing an opportunity to improve health and quality of life in ageing, there is a paucity of research in this field. The social aspects of this period of development which have been most researched include employment, function and disability. Grand-parenting is one of the most popular sources of childcare in the world and therefore research investigating this role is of vital significance.

Patterns of social engagement in the transition to later life.

UNLABELLED: As social roles in later life are shaped by significant life events and changes occurring in the late-life transition, examining social engagement in midlife may provide a context for interpreting the ageing social identity. This is particularly important for women, who are heavily dependent on social relationships and are more influenced by social losses and change. OBJECTIVE: To examine major social changes occurring in the decade prior to late-life, starting from approximately 45-55 years of age. STUDY DESIGN: The study accessed data from the longitudinal prospective Women's Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP). Participants were 493 women who had completed at least one assessment in the first 12 years of the study. RESULTS: Living with a partner was common and stable amongst participants, while the proportion with children still at home decreased markedly (79-44%). Full-time employment also decreased as participants approached the average retirement age (40-13%). Volunteer work was popular throughout the study, increasing slightly with age, and minding grandchildren was common at the end of the study period (80%). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these findings suggest a notable deficit in participants' social lives as they transition into later life, but with some evidence of compensation by increasing other social activities.

Boomerang families and failure-to-launch: Commentary on adult children living at home.

With a shifting economic climate and changes in social norms, young adults are increasingly reported to be living with their parents, either through delayed launch or by launch and return. For young adults grappling with financial and domestic independence, the family home can represent a safe haven; however, living with parents can also pose a threat to autonomy and self-image as they strive for adult status. Parents, on the other hand, are often beleaguered by the economic and emotional demands of their dependent adult children and struggle to maintain their own independence. The roles and expectations of both parties need to be redefined in order to achieve optimal household functioning.

Grandparenting predicts late-life cognition: Results from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project.

UNLABELLED: Social engagement provides dynamic stimulation for older individuals that influences cognition. Grandparenting is an increasingly popular form of childcare that provides social activity for older adults. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between grandparenting, as a form of social engagement, and cognitive function in adults aged over 65, a decade after our previous work. STUDY DESIGN: Participants were 224 Australian women (mean age=70) from the longitudinal prospective Women's Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP). Cognitive function was assessed using a neuropsychological battery consisting of previously validated measures including the California Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span task, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Individual test scores were combined using factor analysis into executive function and episodic memory scores. RESULTS: Grandmothers minding grandchildren had higher executive function than those who were not minding grandchildren or who did not have grandchildren (p<0.05). Minding grandchildren for one day per week predicted better executive function performance than more frequent grandparenting (p<0.05), consistent with previous findings. CONCLUSIONS: While grandparenting is associated with better executive function overall, highly frequent grandparenting is associated with lower executive function, which may be due to demands. Social engagement comprises various aspects which need to be taken into consideration when studying cognition.

Is grandparenting a form of social engagement that benefits cognition in ageing?

Social engagement is a lifestyle factor that has received much attention in preventative research. Numerous studies in the current literature have argued the importance of social engagement in ageing, particularly for cognitive health. One key example of social engagement in later life is the role of a grandparent. This role promotes a socially active lifestyle that may be beneficial to cognitive ageing. Recent research has found that spending some time with grandchildren is beneficial; however, the pressures and responsibilities characteristic of this role should also be taken into consideration, as they may have opposing effects on cognitive health. Given the current popularity of grandparenting as a form of childcare, the interests of the grandparents and the impact on ageing health need to be carefully considered.

Role of grandparenting in postmenopausal women's cognitive health: results from the Women's Healthy Aging Project.

OBJECTIVE: Preserving aging cognition improves quality of life and delays dementia onset. Previous studies have shown that social engagement can maintain cognition; however, none has examined the effects of grandparenting, an important role among postmenopausal women. This study aims to examine the role of grandparenting in cognition among postmenopausal women. METHODS: Participants were 186 Australian women from the longitudinal prospective Women's Healthy Aging Project. Cognition was assessed using the Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), California Verbal Learning Test, and Tower of London. RESULTS: Amount of time spent minding grandchildren predicted differences in SDMT performance (P < 0.01). The highest cognitive scores for most tests were seen in participants who minded grandchildren for 1 day/week. Minding grandchildren for 1 day/week was also a significant positive predictor of California Verbal Learning Test immediate recall performance (P < 0.05). However, minding grandchildren for 5 days or more per week predicted lower SDMT performance (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the highest cognitive performance is demonstrated by postmenopausal women who spend 1 day/week minding grandchildren; however, minding grandchildren for 5 days or more per week predicts lower working memory performance and processing speed. These results indicate that highly frequent grandparenting predicts lower cognitive performance.