Being a grandparent may slow cognitive decline and protect memory and thinking skills. The findings come from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which tracks the health and well-being of people aged 50 and over. Researchers analysed data from 2,887 grandparents who completed surveys and cognitive tests on three occasions between 2016 and 2022. Participants were asked whether they had provided care for a grandchild in the previous year and what that care involved. "What stood out most to us was that being a caregiving grandparent seemed to matter more for cognitive functioning than how often grandparents provided care or what exactly they did with their grandchildren."