Why Should Older Adults Spend Time with Their Grandchildren?

When the grandkids come over to visit, your aging loved one knows great things are going to happen. While it’s always fun to watch the different generations of your family mingle, you can enjoy knowing these family bonding moments also offer significant benefits for your loved one’s health. 

Maintain an Open Mind

Older adults can easily get set in their ways if they don’t try to do new things. Since grandkids are always into the latest trends and gadgets, you can bet your loved one will learn something new. From trying out a new type of food to listening to a different type of music, the grandkids can shake up your loved one’s routine so he or she is never accused of being stodgy. 

Enjoy Giving Unconditional Love

Grandparents play a unique role in their grandchildren’s lives because they’re often free to bypass the stresses of child-rearing and just enjoy spending time together. This freedom allows your loved one to express love unconditionally to the grandkids, and he or she can avoid having to enforce most of the discipline. Being able to shower the grandchildren with hugs and kisses whenever he or she wants gives your loved one a way to express positive emotions.  Seniors should regularly socialize with family and friends to enhance their emotional health. For families living in Arlington, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.

Encourage Better Lifestyle Habits

Grandparents may not have to handle the bulk of the discipline, but they do have an important role to fill as mentors. For this reason, many older adults try to practice what they preach to their grandchildren. When your loved one is with the grandkids, you may notice he or she eats better and doesn’t engage in unhealthy habits such as smoking to avoid being a bad influence. 

Retain Skills & Abilities

Your loved one likely has learned many things through the years to share with the grandchildren. For instance, many seniors enjoy teaching their grandkids how to sew or cook. When your loved one teaches the grandchildren something new, he or she is also reinforcing the ability to perform these tasks. Rolling out a pie crust or showing the grandchildren how to sew on a button strengthens motor skills in older adults. 

Stay Motivated to Complete Essential Tasks

Seniors sometimes lose the motivation to accomplish things such as cleaning the house or taking a bath. However, they’d never want to have their grandkids see them or their homes looking like a mess. When your loved one knows the grandkids are coming over, he or she will have a reason to do some deep cleaning.  Some seniors face difficulty with personal hygiene and keeping their homes clean. If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of senior care. Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.

Develop a Sense of Purpose

The benefit of spending time together goes both ways, and your loved one needs to know how important his or her influence is on the grandchildren. When seniors know their presence helps their grandkids do better in school and avoid developing depression, they may gain a new sense of purpose. Since seniors need to know they’re important to other people, the realization they can still make a big impact on the family is a great way to maintain their emotional health.  Spending time with grandkids is just one of the many ways seniors can lead a healthy lifestyle. In Arlington, home care service agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. If you need professional home care for your loved one, reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (817) 591-1580.