August is Happiness Happens Month. What better time to celebrate one great source of elation – our grandchildren. We spoke with a couple of Wesley residents who spend quality time with their youngest relatives.
There’s science behind it
Grandchildren bring us joy. However, there’s so much more to grandparenting than time spent giggling together, giving hugs and reading books. Spending time with grandchildren increases our levels of dopamine and oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormones. We’re naturally more active when interacting with children. Those interactions can include engaging in exercises like walking and stretching that provide substantial benefits for lowering blood sugar and blood pressure.
“Older adults who are spending time with younger children…tend to be more active, get more steps in, and more exercise,” says Dr. Kenneth Koncilja, MD, geriatrician, in a recent Cleveland Clinic article.
Esther Toomb, a Wesley Lea Hill resident, enjoys the benefits of her 10 grandchildren in unique ways. Her grandson will soon purchase the property she and her late husband have owned in Lea Hill since 1962.
“My grandson and great-grandkids visit almost every week,” she says. “We go for a walk outside, then have lunch at the deli. I’m thrilled they are moving into our family home where I raised my four children. It’s only five minutes from Wesley.”
Esther also likes reading books to her two great-grandchildren.
“They are two and three years old,” she says. “Watching how much energy they have can make me feel tired, but I always look forward to their visits and time with my other grandchildren who live on Whidbey Island and in Idaho.”
Connecting long distances easily
Dr. Koncilja says older adults are benefitting greatly from staying in touch these days, even when family members live far away.
“It’s pretty amazing all the options and avenues older adults have to stay connected today, thanks to technology,” he says. “Older adults are more facile with the Internet and video chat than ever before, and the tools they have to connect are ever-increasing.”
Many older adults use technology to regularly engage in intellectually stimulating activities. Homework, playing games and reading with children are common ways to engage. One 91-year-old grandmother in Western New York watches the Buffalo Bills every Sunday during the NFL season with her grandson who lives in Seattle.
Sports as a bridge
Sports also serve as common ground for Wesley at Tehaleh residents Jim and Angie Eicholtz. The couple met at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort, where Jim was teaching, and Angie, a Physical Education teacher, enrolled in a class. The couple bonded over attending Seattle Sounders soccer matches and rooting for the Seattle Smashers, the city’s former pro volleyball team.
“Like us, our three kids were very involved in sports and so are our grandkids,” Jim says. “We love watching them play, and we go to their soccer matches and baseball games. We especially enjoyed going to our grandson’s cross-country meets. He attended Fife High School, and he would compete in several smaller cities in our area. It was a great way to discover places like White River and Bonney Lake.”
The couple, accustomed to traditional team sports, weren’t very familiar with cross-country running before their grandchildren became involved. Jim says they are big converts to the sport.
“Last year my granddaughter started running cross-country too,” he says. “Most sports are ‘us against them,’ but everyone roots for each other in cross-country. The collegiality and life lessons are very impressive.”
As with Esther’s children, the Eicholtz’s kids and grandkids live near and far.
“It’s really nice to have your kids and grandkids close,” says Jim. “We FaceTime quite a bit with the St. Louis kids. My daughter is great about keeping us up to date. She’ll stream video to us if they are riding a bike or doing something else that we can watch them participate in. Our three-year-old can dribble and shoot a basketball already, so more athletes are on the way.”
Benefits seen in more studies
Spending time with grandchildren and other children provides more than family bonds and improved mental health. The American Health Association states that the opportunity to visit with grandchildren can lead to longer, healthier lives and higher cognitive skills.
“Having a close connection once or twice per week can be beneficial, both for mood and for health,” says Dr. Carolyn Kaloostian, a geriatric medicine specialist at Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. “The major studies show that as long as it’s not overwhelming, if there are moderate amounts of responsibility and pleasurable activities, it does help in many ways.”
Jim sees the benefits of his grandkids every time they enter his apartment in Wesley at Tehaleh to visit him and Angie, who has Alzheimer’s.
“Whenever I can, I send the grandkids into the room first to watch Angie light up,” he says. “They are three and five, so in that adorable phase.”
Besides all the fun times he spends with his children and grandkids in person and on video, Jim points out that not all their sports-focused interactions with their family are positive.
“My son-in-law is from Phoenix,” he says. “We’re trying to get him to root for the Seahawks, but he’s determined to remain a Cardinals fan.”
Hopefully, Jim and Angie’s grandchildren will make the right decision and cheer on our Seahawks.