Grandparents are valuable, especially when families are facing challenges with childcare or when someone needs to temporarily fill the role of the parent due to circumstances. But despite being valuable to children, a new study suggests grandparents also benefit greatly from taking care of their grandkids.
The University of Michigan recently conducted a poll with the aim of determining how grandchildren impact the lives of their grandparents.
The study analyzed data from a survey conducted by the National Poll on Healthy Aging. That survey involved 60% of grandparents aged 50 with at least one grandchild and 27% with at least five grandkids.
How Do Grandkids Impact Grandparents
Grandparents with at least one grandchild were less likely to feel lonely compared to those without grandkids, at 72% versus 62%, respectively.
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In addition, only 9% of grandparents with grandkids said their mental health is either fair or poor. In comparison, this figure increases to 13% among people without grandchildren.
"For many older people, becoming a grandparent is a major milestone in their lives. Our findings show there are many dimensions to grandparenting, and possible positive effects of grandparenting, some of which may not be widely recognized," Dr. Kate Bauer, an associate professor at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, said.
How Often Should Grandparents See Their Grandchildren?
In general, grandparents who see their grandkids more often are less likely to feel isolated or lonely. Specifically, 78% of grandparents who see their grandchildren daily or nearly every day felt less lonely. This drops to 73% among those who see their grandkids weekly or once a month and 65% among those who see their grandkids only every few months or so.
When it comes to mental health, 13% of grandparents who see their grandkids after a month or more would say their mental health is fair or poor compared to 8% who see theirs once or twice a month and 4% who see theirs once a week.
The study surveyed 1,174 Michigan residents aged 50 and over. In all, 63% or 740 have at least one grandchild. The poll was administered online and via phone in August 2024.
