This article is featured in The Senior and is republished with permission.
While you might think you are the one looking after your grandkids, there are surprising health benefits that come with caregiving.
Older Australians who were more socially active had fewer symptoms of depression, a new study by UNSW has found.
One of the key types of social connection identified by researchers was interacting with family or providing childcare.
The study assessed 560 twins aged over 65 across six years and found looking after grandchildren lowered depression both immediately and over time.
Lead researcher Dr Suraj Samtani said the study showed the mental health benefits were almost entirely from environmental factors rather than genetics.
"These findings reinforce what many older people already know instinctively - that staying socially active helps support emotional wellbeing," Dr Samtani said.
Evidence suggests that caring for grandchildren may also slow cognitive decline.
Grandparents who reported babysitting had higher scores on memory and verbal fluency tests compared to those that didn't, a recent study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found.
APA researcher, Flavia Chereches, said it was the overall experience of caring for grandchildren that provided cognitive benefits.
"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," she said.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies reported two in five grandparents provided care for grandchildren.
Australian Psychological Society chief executive Dr Zena Burgess said while many grandparents are stepping in to help families with childcare amid a rise in cost of living it can be an incredibly fulfilling experience and in some cases improve quality of life.
"If grandparents spend time with grandchildren completing mentally stimulating activities such as reading or playing games, cognitive decline may be delayed," she said.
"Similarly, physical health may be improved if grandparents engage in physical activity with their grandchildren."
While taking on a caregiving role as a grandparent has health benefits, Dr Burgess also recognised potential negative impacts for older Australians.
"This may include feelings of stress and overwhelm, increased financial pressures, having to give up hobbies to provide care or conflict with children over parenting differences," she said.
"At a policy level, the need to recognise and improve social structures to support older people caring for their grandchildren is indicated to mediate some of the potentially negative impacts of this reportedly growing trend."