Caring grandparents live longer

Grandparents who care for their grandchildren live up to five years longer than those who don’t, according to new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU). Dr David Coall from ECU’s School of Medical and Health Sciences says it shows that caregiving helps to improve longevity among older people. “Previous research points to helping behaviour as a stress buffer, which involves, for example, the hormone oxytocin which can strengthen bonding between people,” he says. “This link could be a mechanism deeply rooted in our evolutionary past when help with childcare was crucial for the survival of the human species.”