KarunaNews Story

Having healthy grandparents around can be a boon for the mental health of mothers. Studying 488,000 mothers of children aged 12 or younger, Finnish researchers found that mothers are less likely to be depressed if they have parents who are under age 70, employed and free of severe health issues, and live within 10 km (6.2 miles). It was the first study to look at how grandparental characteristics are associated with maternal depression and surprisingly, found that right before a parental breakup is when moms could use their parents’ help the most.