Close grandparent-grandchild relationships are linked to fewer depressive symptoms for both parties, according to research Dr. Moorman presented at the American Sociological Association’s annual meeting. What’s more, grandchildren can bring an extra mental health benefit to the table simply by letting their grandparents help them. Older adults were less likely to be depressed if they reported helping their adult grandchildren, whether in the form of material support or simply shared advice. (Keep your brain young and cut your Alzheimer’s risk with Prevention’s Ageless Brain.) While it’s no surprise that solid relationships provide a buffer against depression, Dr. Moorman explains that previous research on grandparents’ roles basically portrays them as stand-ins for parents who need help raising children, rather than important figures in their own right. “We now know that grandparents and grandchildren benefit each other on a day-to-day basis; not just in the presence of a crisis,” says Dr. Moorman. (If you are experiencing a personal crisis, here are 6 tips to help you through it.) This finding not only has implications for grandparents and grandchildren of all ages, but for parents as well. (Traveling together also has health benefits. See how a trip helped heal this family.) “Especially in childhood, this relationship is really mediated by the parent generation,” Dr. Moorman says. “It’s important for parents to realize that the relationships that grandparents and grandchildren have are important, and to allow them to have those relationships.”
