Nearly half of Ireland’s grandparents – the so-called ‘granny-nanny’ – assist their adult children by providing care to their grandchildren, according to a new study.

The Trinity College research, entitled The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing Elderly (TILDA) shows that 47 pc of grandparents in the over-50 category provide childcare to their grandchildren.

For grandparents aged between 65 and 74, this rises to nearly 60pc.

The paper also showed that 95pc of those over 50 report having a religion, and of these, 60pc attend religious services at least once a week, with 80 per cent of those aged 75 and over doing so.

Overall the paper said that the figures showed that older family members were “also an increasingly important source of support for their families due to major social and economic shifts including increased incidence of marital breakdown, women’s labour market participation and lone parenthood.”

It continued: “Grandparental care of young grandchildren, especially in countries with weak provision of public child care services, enables parents in dual-earning families and lone parents to participate in the labour market.”

Around 8,000 men and women aged over 50 were questioned about their health, financial circumstances and quality of life over the past two years as part of the survey.

The study shows that parents are also bailing out their adult children with gifts of cash or assets and that over a third helped their children with practical household chores.

According to the study, a quarter “gifted” €5,000 or more to their children within the past 10 years, with the average rated at €60,000. In contrast, just 9pc of older people received any financial help from their children.

Lead researcher Virpi Timonen said the findings showed the older generation were less of a burden and more of a “bounty” than stereotypes claim.

More than a third of over-50s even give practical household help to children who are not living with them, including shopping and basic chores.

Over 70pc of those aged 75 and over, who are most likely to need care themselves, live with one of their children. But the most common carer for older people is their spouse, with just 3.5pc getting home help services from the HSE.

Meanwhile, the study also shows that most older men and women in all age groups attend a religious service at least once per week.

However, weekly attendance is less common among the 50-64 (48pc) and 65-74 (67pc) age groups than among people aged 75 years and over (76%). Men aged 50-64 years (approximately 18pc) are most likely to never/almost never attend religious services compared to women in the same age group (16pc) or men and women in the older age groups.

Religion is more important to the oldest old than to those aged 50-64, and is more important to women than to men. Women and oldest adults also derive more comfort and strength from religion than men or younger adults in this population.

The €29m study, funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, Irish Life and the Department of Health, also hit back at stereotypical myths that older people were lonely and a drain on their family.

Overall, more than eight in 10 said they enjoy their lives and look forward to each day feeling “life is full of opportunities”.

The study also revealed that pensioners aged 65 to 74 were the happiest people.