If you’re lucky enough to have experienced your grandparents’ guidance and support during childhood, your transition to adulthood may have been smoother – and your grandparents may have experienced better health because of spending time with you.

In honor of National Grandparents Day, celebrated this Sunday, Sept. 13, here's a look at the health benefits of grand family ties.

Grandchildren: Emotional and Social Skills

As a child, did you fill a grandparent’s ear with stories of your adventures? Maybe you called them for comfort or asked for advice about a conflict at school? If you did, you may have entered adulthood better prepared.

A study of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 who answered “yes” to questions like these were found to have stronger social and emotional skills than those who did not. What’s more, the young adults’ emotional well-being lasted even after their grandparents had died and even when their relationships with their parents or primary caregivers were poor.

Grandparent-Caregivers: Stronger Cognitive Skills

For grandparents helping to care for their grandchildren, the reward is bigger than simply spending time with them. Researchers have found that American grandparents who help with caregiving have better mental functioning and slower rates of cognitive decline than grandparents who do not.

A study from the American Psychological Association found that active grandparent-caregivers who engaged in a variety of leisure activities with their grandkids, including helping with homework, functioned better cognitively than noninvolved grandparents. Of note were improvements to episodic memory and verbal fluency.

Grandparents: Less Loneliness

As you age, you are more likely to experience loneliness, which can increase the risk of health conditions such as high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and even earlier death.

Loneliness – a sense of distress from feeling separated from others – is different from living alone. Even if you live alone, you can avoid loneliness by engaging in meaningful, productive activities with your community, family and friends that give you a sense of purpose, according to the National Institute on Aging. Not only does a sense of purpose help boost your mental health, but it is also linked to having healthier immune cells.

If you’re a grandparent, spending time helping and guiding your grandchildren can improve your well-being. Plus, it can relieve stress on your grandchildren’s primary caregivers, strengthen family ties and foster a sense of belonging in grandchildren.

What to Do Together

Ready to plan more intergenerational family time? Consider simple activities like:

• Reading a book together, especially a classic a grandparent loved as a kid
• Working on a household task or hobby (making it fun)
• Taking a walk together
• Sharing family stories
• Cooking family recipes together
• Sharing a virtual snack or lunch
• Calling to express your love and appreciation for each other

No matter what you do together, remember it doesn’t have to require a lot of planning or money. The tangible and intangible benefits for both grandparents and grandchildren are well worth the investment of time.

Sources:
American Psychological Association
National Institute on Aging
National Library of Medicine