Caring for Grandkids May Boost Brain Health

Study finds grandparents who provide care for their grandchildren show better memory and verbal skills.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 5:07pm

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A new study has found that grandparents who provide care for their grandchildren tend to perform better on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared to those who do not. The benefits were particularly pronounced for grandmothers, who also experienced slower cognitive decline over time. Researchers believe the cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and positive emotions associated with grandparenting may contribute to these brain health advantages.

Why it matters

As people age, maintaining cognitive function becomes increasingly important. This study suggests that the meaningful social role and various activities involved in caring for grandchildren may help protect older adults' brain health. Understanding the potential benefits of grandparenting could inform strategies to support healthy aging.

The details

The study analyzed data from nearly 3,000 grandparents aged 50 and older in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Grandparents who provided any care for their grandchildren in the past year scored higher on tests of memory and verbal fluency compared to non-caregiving grandparents, even after accounting for factors like age, education, and health status. However, the specific amount of time spent caregiving or the types of activities did not predict cognitive performance. Researchers believe the variety of mentally and socially engaging tasks involved in grandparenting, rather than any single activity, may contribute to the cognitive benefits.

  • The study collected data from grandparents between 2016 and 2022.

The players

Flavia Chereches

A researcher at Tilburg University in the Netherlands and the lead author of the study.

Deborah Kado, MD

A geriatric specialist, professor of medicine, and director of the Stanford Longevity Center in Palo Alto, California, who was not involved in the research.

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What they’re saying

“What stood out most to us was that being a caregiving grandparent seemed to matter more for cognitive functioning than how often grandparents provided care or what exactly they did with their grandchildren.”

— Flavia Chereches, Researcher (Everyday Health)

“It's likely that grandparents who are caregivers for young children may have more opportunities for exposure to new ideas, opportunities, and also have a greater purpose — for example, the goal of raising grandchildren to be successful as adults — compared with those who don't have the opportunity to caregive or choose not to do so.”

— Deborah Kado, MD, Geriatric Specialist (Everyday Health)

What’s next

Researchers plan to explore in future studies how factors like whether grandparents perceive caregiving as rewarding or burdensome may influence the cognitive benefits.

The takeaway

This study suggests that the meaningful social role and variety of activities involved in caring for grandchildren may help protect older adults' brain health, highlighting the potential cognitive benefits of grandparenting.