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Summary Is old age a state of mind document
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This document provides some information to support you with the theory behind old age being a state of mind.
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1.5- old age, is it a state of mind?NHS
Grandparents who babysit their grandchildren tend to live longer than seniors who do not care for other
people, a study has found, the Mail Online reports.
Researchers found grandparents babysitters had a 37% lower mortality risk than the adults of the same
age with no caring responsibilities. It found that all participants involved in providing care or help to
grandchildren had a reduced risk of dying during study follow- up than non- helpers.
This was a prospective cohort study which aimed to assess whether caregiving by grandparents within
and beyond the family is associated with a longer life expectancy. There is a growing body of research
indicating that being a grandparent may be beneficial for a person’s health, with possible positive effects
of cognitive function and wellbeing. However, other research has found possible negative effects on
health, particularly when the grandparents have full- time custody of the children. This research aimed
to explore the effects of being a grandparent, looking at mortality specifically.
Conclusion- NHS
This prospective cohort study aimed to assess whether caregiving by grandparents within and beyond
the family is associated with a longer life expectancy. The researchers found that all participants
involved in care of grandchildren, providing help to adult children and/ or those helping others in their
social network had a lower risk of dying during follow- up than non- helpers.
However, the study does have some limitations-
Observational studies are not able to prove cause and effect. We can’t say from these findings
that the provision of care is directly responsible for a longer life.
The researchers have attempted to adjust for a number of health and socio- demographic
factors that could be influencing the results. But the number of variables that could be having an
effect that is potentially vast. Accounting for all contributing factors may have altered findings.
The cause of death and the participants’ physical and mental health and wellbeing have not
been explored in great depth.
There is a risk of recall bias as data was collected during two yearly interviews and participants
may not accurately remember the level of care provided.
This is a relatively small sample of people- and they are also all from one region of Germany.
Other results may be obtained with a different sample.
This study provides some evidence for a link between caregiving and increased life expectancy;
however, it is not able to pinpoint what causes the increase. Further research would be required to
confirm this. However, spending time with grandchildren and helping friends and family members
arguably gives people a sense of purpose, and helps keep them physically and mentally active.
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