Dr. Nina: Healthy benefits of our legacy connections

Holidays are a great time to connect with family and friends. Studies show these times are particularly important to our health and well-being as we share holiday traditions we have treasured for generations.

As U.S. life expectancy changes, families can enjoy their bonds with grandparents well into adulthood. This has given researchers the opportunity to explore relationships between grandparents and grandchildren, and the results have shown significant health benefits for both generations.

While becoming a grandparent is out of your control, science shows those who enjoy the gift of the grandparent-grandchildren connection have a special opportunity to improve their own mental health and overall well-being by developing strong, supportive relationships.

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At this time of the year, there are special memories and traditions to be shared as many of us unfold the special music, meals, gifts, experiences and memories we bring forward from our remembrances of holidays past. The grandparent-grandchild legacy connection does more than make everyone smile — it helps everyone in the relationship stay sharper, be more active and live healthier longer. Embracing the importance of family connection may also help transform holiday events into celebrations, as family members come to understand the many benefits of getting together, whether in person, on the phone or through livestream apps.

Dr. Nina’s What You Need To Know: Importance of the Grandchild-Grandparent Bond

Grandparents are defined the parents of a person’s own parents. For many, “grandparenting” goes beyond what our words can capture — and are a reflection of our family bonds. There can be a tremendous and, many experts agree, vital emotional and spiritual bond or connection — and a richness the grandparent gifts to the grandchild, and vice versa.

Close grandparent-grandchild relationships often are a marker of strong family ties overall, but these intergenerational bonds also come with their own distinctive benefits. And today, as people live longer and family sizes have decreased, these bonds are even more treasured.

The average life expectancy is nearly 80 years, up from less than 50 in the early 1900s. This allows millions of grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy a sustained, influential, intergenerational relationship from birth well into childhood to adolescence and even adulthood — and for some, becoming great-grandparents.

While grandparents often have the benefit of interacting with grandchildren on a level removed from the day-to-day responsibilities of parents, in a shift driven partly by culture and by the economy, the number of grandparents living with (or close to) their grandchildren has risen sharply, increasing by about a third over the past generation. There are about 80 million American grandparents — more than one-third of the adult population. With this, our nation’s families have been experiencing more “kinship” care in support of home relationships.

Whatever your current family structure, the connection of grandparents and grandchildren can bring many healthy rewards along with a sense of security, developing deeper relationships and family bonds, together.

Learning from each other

For grandparents, relationships with grandchildren provide connection with a much younger generation, exposing them to different ideas, where they might otherwise be limited.

And for grandkids, grandparents have a wealth of experience, offering life wisdom they can put into practice. There is value in the kinship sharing of information. And too, the grandparent relationship has been found to offer a firsthand historical perspective that enriches the grandchild’s life and understanding of the past and family.

Research has shown links between strong grandparent-grandchild bonds and adjustment in life situations, as well as pro-social behavior among children. Close grandparent-grandchild relationships are associated with benefits including fewer emotional and behavioral problems and fewer difficulties with peers. These “grand” relationships also help reduce the adverse impacts of experiences such as parent breakups, loss of family or being bullied.

In one significant study, Boston College researchers looked at data collected over 19 years, finding emotionally close ties between grandparents and adult grandchildren reduced depressive symptoms in both groups. A handful of studies also show teens who are close to their grandparents generally have higher academic success, greater self-confidence, and higher rates of competence and maturity.

And there also are benefits that cannot be measured. Some include: having an adult who provides companionship; a window into their parent’s childhood; a role model; life lessons and an understanding of family traditions; and unconditional love. Experts also say grandparents have a great calming effect on their grandchildren as they interact.

When children know they have someone they can trust who is on their side, it is a powerful security blanket and an emotional treasure.

Experts are quick to point out grandparents often provide advice and emotional support to parents, which can translate into decreased parental stress that benefits children along with the overall family structure.

Benefits for grandparents

Decreases risk of Alzheimer’s dementia: In a study by Australian researchers, grandmothers who spent a moderate amount of time caring for their grandkids scored higher on memory and other mental tests. This finding is likely because our brain is similar to a muscle in that when we use it, it becomes stronger. And, continued mental stimulation and social interaction are powerful tools to stave off dementia.

Greater physical activity: In an American Association of Retired Persons report from 2011, 58 percent of grandparents reported engaging in physical activities with their grandchildren. The type of physical activity can depend upon age and fitness. For example, with younger grandchildren, this may mean taking them for a walk in their stroller or keeping up after them as they start crawling and walking. Older grandchildren are great partners to go with hiking or on a long walk; to play golf, tennis, basketball or another sport with; or even martial arts or yoga.

Lower risk of depression: A study by Boston College researchers in 2016 found that when grandparents had emotionally close ties, called affinity, to their grandchildren, both groups experienced reduced depressive symptoms. Symptoms of depression follow a “U-shaped” pattern, meaning it is greatest in young adulthood, decreases across middle adulthood, and increases again in older adulthood. Thus, the intergenerational bond uniquely benefits those at greatest risk.

Longer lifespan: According to a 2016 study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, grandparents who babysat their grandchildren had a 37 percent lower mortality risk, or likelihood of dying, five years after the study began compared to adults the same age with no caring responsibility. And if you’re not a grandparent, don’t worry! The researchers also found a similar positive effect in participants who help support adult children and others in their social network. While the reason for this is not clear, the study’s authors hypothesized spending time with grandchildren, or others they support. is a good way for older adults to have a sense of purpose, while remaining both physically and mentally active.

Parents need to be aware of their role as gatekeepers in the relationship between their children and their parents — and should encourage healthy relationships. Grandparents hold great potential of being an important resource in children’s lives and community — and vice versa.

And while geographic distance between grandparents and their grandchildren may be a key factor in the quality of your relationship, today’s technological advances make it possible to foster a strong, loving relationship by phone, text, instant images and livestreams as well as connection face-to-face long distance.

Today’s American grandparents have generally adopted the digital age. More than 75 percent of grandparents use the internet and nearly half use social media regularly. We are in an exciting age as today’s grandparents don’t just sit in rocking chairs with blankets on their laps; they’re active (68 percent of grandparents exercise, play sports, or dance).

It is gift to everyone as we nurture healthy closeness in our families. Enjoy, and may your holiday provide precious memories and times together for every generation.

Dr. Nina Radcliff, of Galloway Township, is a physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author. Email questions for Dr. Nina to editor@pressofac.com with “Dr. Nina” in the subject line. This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and cannot substitute for the advice from your medical professional.

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