When you're a grandma, there's nothing better than hanging out with his grandchildren.
And according to scientific studies, taking care of your grandchildren does not only bring joy to the life of grandparents.
Indeed, babysitting can also keep you mentally fit in your old age. Watch:
A scientific study on the subject was published in 2014 in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.
It establishes that grandmothers who take care of their grandchildren at least 1 day a week obtain better results on cognitive tests.
The study, conducted by the Women's Healthy Aging Project in Australia, involved a group of 186 postmenopausal women, 120 of whom were grandmothers. These women were subjected to 3 cognitive tests.
Researchers have concluded that spending time caring for grandchildren helps reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
But be careful because the study also revealed that too much babysit had negative effects on the health of grandmothers.
Indeed, grandmothers who looked after their grandchildren more than 5 times a week scored lower on cognitive tests, compared to those who looked after their grandchildren only once a week.
The reason for this correlation between babysitting grandchildren and good mental health is not yet clear.
But other studies had already shown that social interaction helps older people maintain good mental health.
Even better ! Another study has proven that spending time with grandparents has mental health benefits for grandchildren too!
That way everyone wins! So, sending your children to grandpa and grandma once a week is really a great thing for everyone!
Now, if you need a babysitter to look after your children, you know who to call!
And of course, what is good for grandmothers is also good for grandfathers;-)
