Retirement and grandchild care in China: mental health consequences and policy implications

Naïve associations may reflect favorable selection and post-retirement lifestyle adjustments, whereas IV estimates highlight the psychological costs of abrupt, rule-based retirement. Large IV estimates should be interpreted cautiously as local rather than precise effects. Policy reforms delaying retirement should be accompanied by phased exit options, routine psychological screening and counseling, and expanded investment in affordable childcare and respite services to alleviate dual pressures on older adults and foster intergenerational harmony.