Social spheres shrink rapidly for seniors who don’t remain engaged in the world around them. Living alone, losing the ability to drive, decreased mobility, and inevitable side effects of aging – such as vision and hearing loss – make it more difficult for seniors to remain social.
However, research continues to correlate that senior health, quality of life, and longevity are directly proportional to social interaction and community engagement.
Social seniors are healthier seniors – and they live longer, too!
An article by Harvard.edu titled, Social Engagement and Healthy Aging, begins, “A rich web of human relationships enhances your health and stimulates your mind and memory.”
That’s a succinct way to express the myriad of correlations researchers are learning about senior health and its dependence on social interaction and engagement.
For example, the National Institute on Aging shares that seniors who are more socially connected:
- Have more positive health biomarkers
- have lower decreased levels of an inflammatory factor associated with Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, arthritis, and other age-related conditions)
- Have healthier appetites and report leading happier, more active lifestyles
- Are less likely to suffer from loneliness, depression, and anxiety
- Have longer lifespans, with a higher quality of life
The bottom line is that our senior loved ones need to be brought back into the fold, front-and-center, so they can feel loved, needed, wanted, and essential to the “village” as a whole.
Ideas for Keeping Seniors Socially Connected
There is a myriad of ways to keep senior loved ones socially connected and active within and around their communities. The following are just the tip of the iceberg. We also recommend consulting with your local senior center or an experienced senior home care agency to learn more about the opportunities that abound in your area.
Keep them mobile – on foot or by wheels
Mobility is key to seniors feeling independent, which allows them to be active.
There are a few tenets to ensuring seniors can get around independently:
- Make sure they’re eating well, so they have energy and strength
- Get them the mobility aid(s) that best meets their needs
- Secure transportation via public options, local senior transportation services (like Dial-a-Ride), or a hired driver from a licensed agency (Click Here to learn more about how to talk to a resistant senior about driving)
The ability to get where you need to go means the world when it comes to remaining social, particularly when seniors live alone. Dependable transportation means seniors can keep saying, “Yes!,” to the things they’ve always done – church, self-care appointments, meals with friends, community events, etc.
Connect them with local volunteer opportunities
It’s harder to feel needed, productive, and like your life has meaning when you spend most of your time alone in your home. However, community volunteer opportunities are everywhere. Most schools, non-profits, libraries, homeless shelters, pet shelters, etc., are hungry for people who have the time and reliable interest to help out.
Visit our post, Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors are a Win-Win for Everyone, to learn more about how seniors, family members, and/or caregivers can get involved.
Join a senior exercise class for social interaction
Talk about a twofer; joining a senior exercise class, be it yoga, dance class, water aerobics, spinning – or whatever activities they’re drawn to – gets seniors moving and connected with local peers. This often creates opportunities for further socializing via tea or lunch before/after class, invitations to other gatherings or events, or a good conversation and laugh before heading back home.
Involve them in family activities, holidays, and outings
So, your grandma used to be the hostess for the holidays, but now she’s relegated to a corner of the room to visit with others? If this is what she wants to do, fine. However, there may be other roles for the seniors in your life over the course of holidays and family activities – you just need to check-in and see what they’d like to do.
Being a seated sous-chef, prepping the veggies may be a better fit. Maybe you need to have some photos labeled or organized? Could they teach the grandkids a dance from their era? Finally – don’t forget to ask if they’d like to come along to school plays, movies, occasional family meals (or pack food up and bring it to their house) – all of which keep them feeling included and getting more social interaction.
Companion services
Do you live far away from your senior loved ones? Does a busy work and family schedule make it difficult to include your parents or grandparents the way you’d like to? Companion services may be just the thing. In addition to weekly or more frequent visits from a professional caregiver and companion, you gain peace of mind knowing they’ll stay on top of any signs your loved one needs more support. Caregivers also provide transportation, meal support, and help come up with ideas to keep their clients engaged.
We Can Help With Social Interaction
Contact us here at HomeAide Home Care to learn more about optimizing social interaction and community engagement for the beloved senior(s) in your life.
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