A study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open found that grandparents in China who cared for their grandchildren had a lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not take on caregiving roles.
The findings add to a growing body of research that suggests practical and social engagement in older age can produce meaningful health benefits—including cognitive resilience.
One aspect researchers noted across their study was that grandparents who were caregiving were more likely to have a mobile phone, which also helped lower the risk and kept them more connected.
Newsweek reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association for a statement via email Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Dementia remains a leading cause of disability and dependency among older adults, affecting an estimated 55 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that about 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, as of 2023.
The results highlight the potential for non-pharmacological approaches to promoting mental health among aging populations worldwide.
What To Know
Researchers found that grandparents who cared for their grandchildren on a frequent but noncustodial basis had a statistically significant lower risk of developing dementia over the study period compared to their peers who did not engage in this caregiving role.
The study analyzed the experiences of over 10,000 older adults in China and tracked cognitive outcomes in relation to their caregiving activities
In China, where the study was conducted, roughly 17 million people were living with dementia in 2019, according to a JAMA Neurology report published in February 2020.
“Dementia is a pressing public health concern, with a substantial burden in China, which accounts for nearly 25% of worldwide cases and great socioeconomic costs,” the study said.
The JAMA study’s findings reinforce previous research suggesting that staying socially active and engaged can help preserve brain health in seniors, and they provide a new focus for intergenerational approaches to healthy aging.
“The protective association of nonintensive caregiving with dementia odds supports the use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis, which posits that engaging in mentally and socially stimulating activities—such as interacting with grandchildren—can preserve cognitive reserves and delay cognitive decline,” the study conclusion explained.
The study does caution that more intense caregiving duties negatively impact the caregiver, saying, “These benefits, however, appear to have a threshold, as intensive caregiving, often accompanied by heightened stress and caregiving burden, was not associated with reduced dementia odds.”
As populations age, public health officials and families across the U.S. and China face urgent questions about how to delay or prevent cognitive decline.
Interventions that do not rely on medication, such as social or family involvement, could offer significant benefits at both the individual and societal level.
What People Are Saying
The study concluded, in part: “This cohort study found that nonintensive caregiving of grandchildren was associated with lower odds of dementia and that this protective association was partially mediated by technology access and reduced loneliness.”
“We extended previous findings by investigating the mediating role of digital technology access and low loneliness in the association between grandchild caregiving and dementia odds using IORW. One potential pathway from grandchild caregiving to dementia odds in older adults is through access to technology. We found that participants providing nonintensive care had higher odds of mobile telephone access, aligning with previous findings. This may be because nonintensive caregiving allows grandparents more time and flexibility to engage in digital communication with grandchildren and other family members. Mobile telephone ownership, as shown in prior studies, facilitates social interaction and cognitive stimulation, contributing to reduced dementia odds.”
What Happens Next
The evidence supporting social and cognitive engagement as non-pharmacological means for delaying dementia is mounting.
Public health experts and policymakers may look to studies like the JAMA analysis to guide recommendations for older adults’ engagement with family and community.
Additional research is anticipated to further refine best practices, distinguish between the effects of occasional and primary caregiving, and identify complementary means of delaying cognitive decline.
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