"Our study shows that the caring responsibilities many people take on in later life can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, lighter caring responsibilities can be good for you by providing mental stimulation from interacting with loved ones or others you're helping and a sense of purpose and usefulness. But being overloaded with caring tasks has exactly the opposite effect and can accelerate people's mental decline in terms of not being as mentally sharp or quick-thinking as they used to be."
"Researchers compared the cognitive health of 2,765 carers aged 50 or over with that of 2,765 non-carers the same age who are part of the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing. They focused in particular on their executive function such as their ability to make decisions and juggle competing tasks and their memory. Participants were 60 years old on average and women comprised 56% of the group."
"Taking on manageable levels of caregiving may provide cognitively stimulating activities and coordinating care that helps maintain executive function in later life. Providing a few hours of support outside the household may help caregivers maintain their cognitive health as they age. In contrast, though, carers providing 50+ hours of care a week exhibited accelerated cognitive decline, indicating that the cognitive stimulation associated with caring is overshadowed by"
"Carers UK called the findings extremely worrying and said they highlight how long hours spent providing care raises the risk of social isolation and burnout."
Caring responsibilities can affect cognitive health differently depending on weekly time spent. Providing 5 to 9 hours of care can boost brain health, with benefits lasting until older age. Caring 50 hours or more per week is linked to accelerated cognitive decline in middle-aged and older people. Heavy caregiving can reduce mental sharpness and quick thinking, while lighter caregiving can provide mental stimulation through interaction, along with purpose and usefulness. Research compared cognitive health of 2,765 carers aged 50 or over with 2,765 non-carers using the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Executive function and memory were assessed, showing manageable caregiving may help maintain executive function, while 50+ hours shows the opposite pattern.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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