Social Isolation Can Raise the Odds for Dementia, Frequent Socializing Linked to Longer Lifespan of Older People, People with Active Social Lives Live Longer…and the headlines go on. Are you worried about your mom or dad isolating? Are they the last of their siblings? Is it getting harder for them to leave the house? This week we’re getting social…
When we help families find the right assisted living…they often list isolation and the desire for socialization as a reason for wanting mom or dad to move from their home to assisted living. Isolation may not even be how the conversation starts – it could be that mom is calling ALL the time because there’s no-one else to talk to. Maybe dad stopped going to his daily morning coffee meetup with the guys because he’s no longer comfortable driving… or going for outings is just getting too complicated. Maybe the stairs are hard to manage and getting in and out of your car…is starting to seem a little dangerous.
Saying the words I’m lonely or sad or depressed are not the usual conversation starters especially since mom or dad don’t want to be a burden. So you’re likely to hear them say they’re fine…they like being alone.
Today we’re going to outline some of the signs your aging loved one might be isolating and the social opportunities available including senior living.
You know your loved one best…but you’re most likely busy with work, family responsibilities and well…just life in general…so it can be easy to miss the signs.
Signs like:
A normally clean house is staying messy
Sleeping more than usual
Poor hygiene
Depression or anxiety
Weight loss
Memory loss
Not leaving the house
On a side note there could be several other reasons for all of these symptoms. But if your loved one isn’t leaving the house and you know they’ve lost friends and family members … there’s a good chance they could be isolating. Of course sometimes it’s not even a choice! As we mentioned before, isolation can come with mobility or memory issues.
What are the side effects of all this isolation?
Dementia
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Anxiety
Depression
Obesity
A weakened immune system
And even death.
When my son was in basic training, we were encouraged to share his address and write often. He was given the task to write back! I’m not sure if that was for the soldiers or the worried mom’s back home but either way – I’m certain it was an exercise in improving mental health.
So what can you do if you suspect your mom or dad is isolating?
This may be a great time to introduce a senior living community. There are many retirement and assisted living communities that offer social gatherings open to the public. Of course they do this so that you can experience their community but this is a great way to find something that would appeal to your loved one. There are art shows, music events, creative classes and of course BINGO. So why not! You can help your mom meet new people and BONUS! If some of those new friends live in the community then she’ll have built in friends when she’s ready to move.
If you’re on social media at all you may have seen those requests for letters to seniors for birthdays or other occasions. You may also have heard of a place called the senior center…which most cities have and many cities also have affordable accessible transportation…so no excuses! Right!?
Well not exactly because bodies in motion stay in motion and you probably know the rest of that phrase…bodies at rest stay at rest… if your loved one – for whatever reason is isolating, it can be very difficult to self motivate out of that isolation no matter your age. You may have even been trying… So what can you do?
Start by identifying the obstacles: is it mobility? Pain? Fear? The fear could be fear of keeping up with conversation, fear of poorly fitting dentures not doing their job at dinner, fear of falling and not wanting to use a walker or cane…because well…fear of aging.
So keep trying new ideas, a ramp, an iPad, a cool cane…your arm as a walking embrace whatever the solution …don’t stop trying and don’t let your mom or dad stop with an “I’m fine”.
Human interaction is medicine!
Reducing Social Isolation Among Older People – Article – World Health Organization
https://www.who.int/activities/reducing-social-isolation-and-loneliness-among-older-people
The Danger of Social Isolation – Article AARP
https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/social-isolation-symptoms-danger.html
Social Isolation Can Raise the Odds for Dementia – Article US News
Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions – Article CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
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