Older people risk mental decline if they do long hours of caring, UK study shows

Researchers find 50+ hours a week can be detrimental to health but lighter responsibilities have positive effect The stresses and strains of caring for someone for 50 hours or more a week leads to “accelerated cognitive decline” in middle-aged and older people, research shows. However, providing care for only five to nine hours a week has the opposite effect, boosting brain health so much that the benefits last until older age.