DOING more housework can boost memories and attention span for older people, scientists say. Researchers have found that elderly people who participate in a combination of light housework appears to give people a “higher cognitive function.” Experts in Singapore wanted to assess whether doing household chores contributes toward healthy ageing by boosting physical activity levels and mental capacity. The link was seen independently of how much other physical activity the over-65s did in either their work or leisure time, researchers said. Boffins examined walking speed and sit-to-stand speed from a chair — which is indicative of leg strength and falls risk — to assess the participants’ levels of physical activity. Their mental agility was also assessed with tests designed to examine memory, language and attention span. Participants were quizzed about the intensity and frequency of household chores as well as other types of physical activity. Their paper, published in BMJ Open, was based on almost 500 adults in Singapore who underwent tests to determine their physical and cognitive health. They were divided into two age bands; between 21 and 54, with an average age of 44, and between 65 and 90, with an average age of 75. The results of memory tests and physical tests, such as how quickly people could move from sitting to standing and walking speed, showed that housework was linked to sharper mental abilities and better physical capacity, but only in the older group. (SD-Agencies) | 