01 Aug Senior Citizen Week – August 21, 2019 Make it a Grand Relationship
They say the reason grandparents and grandchildren get along so well is that they have a common enemy – parents! But as we celebrate Senior Citizens Day this August, NFK shares with you some massive benefits that will reveal why you should be encouraging stronger ties between your parents and children.
Grandparents
- Spending quality time with adult grandchildren can improve the mental health of grandparents. According to a study conducted by Sara Moorman and Jeffrey Stokes of The Boston College in 2013, grandparents connected to their grandchildren are also less likely to be affected by depression.
- Watching over grandchildren on a regular basis improves the brain function and physical health of grandparents, especially in the case of young grandkids who keep them on their toes.
Grandchildren
- Having close ties with grandparents makes grandchildren think positively about aging. It helps children get rid of their ageist bias and understand that it is possible to be happy, fun, active and live a wholesome life at any age.
- Grandparents often act as an emotional anchor and a sounding board for grandchildren. The University of Oxford conducted a study of over 1500 children which showed that those who had a strong grandparental connection in their lives experienced fewer emotional and behavioral problems.
#NFKSays –
A good way to nudge your parents and children to spend more time together is to organize fun date nights for them each month.
Alternate between letting the grandparent and grandchild decide what they will do together each time – be it watching a black and white film, playing videogames, creating their own ancestral family tree or creating some fun YouTube videos to inspire other grandchildren and grandparents from around the world.