Scientists believe that housework can help improve older people’s memory and attention span.
Researchers discovered that the elderly who perform light housework can have a positive effect on their health. “higher cognitive function”.
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Experts from Singapore sought to determine if household chores can contribute to healthy aging by increasing physical activity and mental capacity.
Researchers said that this link was independent of the amount of physical activity performed by over-65s in their leisure or work hours.
Boffins evaluated the levels of physical activity of participants by measuring their walking speed, sit-to-stand speed (which is indicative of leg strength) and standing speed from a chair.
They were also tested for their mental agility using tests that assessed memory, language and attention span.
Participants were asked about their household chores and other types of exercise.
The paper was published in BMJ Open. It was based upon nearly 500 Singaporeans who were subject to tests to assess their cognitive and physical health.
They were divided into two age groups: between 21 and 54 with an average of 44 years, and 65 to 90 with an average of 75 years.
Memory tests and physical tests such as speed at which people can move from sitting to standing, walking speed and other measures showed that housework is associated with sharper mental abilities and greater physical ability, but only in the elderly.
Only a third of those in younger age (36%) and just under half of those older (48%) met recommended levels of activity through recreational activities.
However, only 2/3 of the target population – 61% of those aged 64 or younger and 66% for older adults – achieved it through housework.
Cognitive scores were 8 % and 5 % higher in over-65s who did high volumes of light or heavy chores, respectively, than for those doing less.
Sit-to-stand was 8 percent faster for those who did more heavy housework. Balance scores were 23% higher.
It included dishes washing, dusting, making bed, laundry, folding laundry, ironing up and cooking meals. There were also more difficult chores like changing the sheets, beating the mats, vacuuming the floor and other chores that involved sawing, repairing, or painting.
Regularly performing the physically demanding tasks around the house resulted in a decrease in sit-to stand times and better balance and coordination scores than those who did not.
The authors note that this study was observational and therefore cannot draw any firm conclusions. They also suggested more research to determine the relationship between household jobs, health, and income.
“In conclusion, our study suggests that a combination of light and heavy housework is associated with higher cognitive function, specifically in attention and memory domains, among community-dwelling older adults,”They wrote.
“Intensity dependent, the positive associations between housework and physical and sensorimotor functions in older people were also found.
“Housework can also be a complement to recreational physical activity for older adults living in high-income countries, which could lead to healthier aging.
“Future longitudinal and intervention studies are required to establish causality between housework activities and functional health.”