Grandparents Who Babysit Live Longer

A new study published in Evolution and Human Behaviour, reported that grandparents who babysit their grandchildren live significantly longer lives.

The study used data from the Berlin Aging Study and analysed 20 years worth of data from 500 seniors aged 70 and older. Grandparents who provided some form of care to their grandchildren had a 37 percent lower hazard ratio than their non-care giving peers.

“There is a link between providing this care and reducing stress and we know the relationship between stress and higher risk of dying,” said Dr. Ronan Factora, a Geriatric Medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.

“If providing care to grandchildren and others in need is one way that can actually reduce stress, then these activities should be of benefit to folks who are grandparents and provide this care to their grandkids.”

The benefits extended beyond just looking after family –as  seniors who provided care giving to children who were not their own also enjoyed similar benefits.

Watch ABC interview below

http://abc7.com/health/study-grandparents-who-babysit-live-longer/2411739/