Older people risk mental decline if they do long hours of caring, UK study shows
Key takeaways
- Lead author of the report, Dr Baowen Xue, described the caring responsibilities many take on in later life as a ‘double-edged sword’.
- Prefer the Guardian on GoogleThe stresses and strains of caring for someone for 50 hours or more a week leads to “accelerated cognitive decline” in middle-aged and older people, research shows.
- However, providing care for only five to nine hours a week has the opposite effect, boosting brain health so much that the benefits last until older age.
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Lead author of the report, Dr Baowen Xue, described the caring responsibilities many take on in later life as a ‘double-edged sword’. Photograph: Pixel Youth movement/Alamy View image in fullscreen Lead author of the report, Dr Baowen Xue, described the caring responsibilities many take on in later life as a ‘double-edged sword’. Photograph: Pixel Youth movement/Alamy Carers Older people risk mental decline if they do long hours of caring, UK study shows Researchers find 50+ hours a week can be detrimental to health but lighter responsibilities have positive effect
Prefer the Guardian on GoogleThe stresses and strains of caring for someone for 50 hours or more a week leads to “accelerated cognitive decline” in middle-aged and older people, research shows.
However, providing care for only five to nine hours a week has the opposite effect, boosting brain health so much that the benefits last until older age.