Multigenerational households are a growing trend in the US and Canada. Many sources cite economic reasons—the lack of affordable housing, childcare, and senior housing—but the benefits extend well beyond the financial. For many supporters of multi-generational family engagement, this trend is welcome news. In his recently published book, The Art and Science of Parenting and Grandparenting: Raising Emotionally Healthy Children in a Challenging World, author Kenneth Barish, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychology at Weill Cornell Medicine and a fellow of the American Psychological Association, explored the multigenerational benefits of grandparent involvement. He found that we all need close others who listen, especially children. This may ease their loneliness, show that conflict is not the end of the world, and that life challenges are surmountable.
Recent research findings offer an impressive list of benefits of close, multigenerational ties and active grandparent involvement in daily family life for all three generations.
For grandparents
For grandparents, involvement in their grandchildren’s lives yields significant cognitive benefits and positively affects their social well-being. According to research published by the American Psychological Association in January of 2026 involving close to three thousand grandparents who participated in a longitudinal study of aging examining the impact of their participation in their grandchildren’s childcare and leisure activities, those who were actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren “scored higher on tests of both memory and verbal fluency compared with those who didn’t.”
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest-running study on well-being, recognized the central role of deep relationships in long-term health, life satisfaction, and happiness, and credits assisting grandchildren with homework, babysitting, and playing with them with possibly staving off cognitive decline.
Additional research that examined the benefits of caregiving by activity, type, and frequency also linked caregiving to increased episodic memory and verbal fluency in seniors, and found that grandparents who regularly picked up their grandchildren from school or daycare, and were available to step in and provide childcare when required, exhibited higher verbal fluency than grandparents who provided these supports on a less frequent basis.
Furthermore, an intergenerational pilot study exploring the benefits of engagement between children and seniors reported decreased negative stereotyping of seniors and improved well-being among seniors after participating in a weekly intergenerational summer camp.
For parents, the sandwich generation
According to recent statistics, more than half of adults in their 40s are members of the sandwich generation. A recent study determined that this generation struggles with several significant challenges, including: “time management issues, physical exhaustion, stress, and caregiver burnout.” The study concluded that parents and in-laws are a significant source of support.
For grandchildren
The myriad short- and long-term benefits of grandparent involvement in the lives of children and young adults are profound. A 2025 study on multigenerational families in contemporary China, where grandparents share childcare responsibilities, determined that: “Grandparents’ involvement may help to relieve perceived mothers’ parenting stress and enhance family strengths, thereby indirectly affecting young children’s resilience.”
The positive effect of grandparent involvement continues long after childhood. A 2025 survey of emerging and young adults (age 18 to 29) found that social support from one or more grandparents contributed to their current emotional well-being, regardless of whether that grandparent was still alive, even among individuals who had experienced poor care from their parents or primary caregivers. Bareish sees such involvement as a win, win, win.
Six steps to build and maintain strong intergenerational connections
Be proactive: Besides the usual holiday and birthday celebrations, create opportunities for informal family gatherings. In regular, informal get-togethers, everyone is likely to feel more relaxed.
Encourage one-on-one time. One-on-one time helps grandparents and grandchildren build strong personal relationships and genuinely connect. If family members live far away, encourage everyone to keep in touch and use online platforms that allow for face-to-face communication.
Set an example for your children by spending time with your family members and including your parents and their friends in your life.
Accept that conflicts will likely arise, and try to address situations with compassion and patience.
Maintain healthy and positive communication. Keep the lines of communication open: Don’t let small misunderstandings fester into long-term resentment. By communicating clearly and compassionately, you can reduce misunderstandings and resentment.
Seek the help of a family therapist if your family is struggling with conflict or life challenges like illness, transitioning into long-term care, or other significant and distressing changes.
