The pressure of looking after grandchildren on a regular basis could make some grandparents more likely to suffer from depression, according to a new study.
A study of 7,500 older people carried out by researchers at Trinity College, Dublin showed that 60 per cent had provided childcare within their family in the previous month.
According to the Irish Independent, the people who provided upwards of 60 hours of childcare per month were more likely to exhibit depressive symptoms.
Lower ‘educational attainment’ was shown to be a key factor in increasing the risk of depressive symptoms, while grandparents who were well educated and had an active social life were less likely to become depressed.
The findings of the study will be presented at a major conference in New York this summer.
