Looking after kids dulls gran’s brain
FOR most parents, having grandma take care of the children once in a while is a godsend.
But it seems she may not be sharing the benefits – at least not if she does it too often.
Looking after the children for five days a week or more can make grandmas less mentally sharp, a study claimed yesterday.
It found those who did so performed poorly in a test of working memory and mental processing speed.
However, grannies who looked after the children just once a week showed improved mental agility.
Margery Gass of the North American Menopause Society, which published the study in its journal, said: ‘We know that older women who are socially engaged have better cognitive function and a lower risk of developing demen- tia later. But too much of a good thing just might be bad.’
The research, carried out by the Women’s Healthy Aging Project, looked at 120 Australian grandmothers aged 57 to 68.
Each woman was given three tests of mental sharpness.
Those who spent one day a week taking care of their grandchildren performed best in two of the tests.
But those who lent a hand for five days or more fared significantly worse in the test that looked at working memory and mental processing speed.
The researchers also found that the more time grandmothers spent taking care of the grandchildren, the more they felt their own children had been demanding of them.
This suggests that mood may have affected the result.
The investigators are already following up the project with more research.
Although other studies have examined the relationship between mental sharpness and being socially engaged, this is the first to look at how it affects grandmothers.
After the menopause, women are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders.
‘Because grandmothering is such an important and common social role for postmenopausal women, we need to know more about its effects on their future health,’ said Dr Gass. ‘This study is a good start.’