This undated file photo shows seniors learning how to feed babies at a public health care center. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — The cognitive function and quality of life among seniors who partake in rearing their grandchildren are higher than those who do not, a report showed Sunday.
The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs analyzed the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted every two years from 2008 to 2020 as well as the National Survey of Older Koreans conducted in 2014, 2017 and 2020.
The research institute said that 1.9 percent of the senior respondents said they had been rearing their grandchildren. Respondents said they spent 36.7 weeks taking care of a single grandchild and 39.9 hours every week on child-rearing.
Looking at the difference caused by rearing a grandchild based on the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, grandparents who had been taking care of their grandchildren scored 6.2 points out of 30 in the level of depression, which was lower than those who had not (6.8 points).
Their cognitive functions scored 26.2 points, exceeding those who had not been taking care of their grandchildren (25.5 points).
The relationship between grandparents and their children scored 71.9 points out of 100 in terms of satisfaction when the grandparents were rearing grandchildren. If not, the score dropped to 69.2 points.
These differences in health, cognitive functions, and satisfaction, however, were observed only in those between the ages of 55 and 74. Differences were minimal among those between the ages of 75 and 84.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
