What does Social Isolation Look Like For Seniors?
Social Isolation Can Raise the Odds for Dementia, Frequent Socializing Linked to Longer Lifespan of Older People, People with Active Social Lives Live Longerā¦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 weāre getting socialā¦
When we help families find the right assisted livingā¦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 thereās no-one else to talk to. Maybe dad stopped going to his daily morning coffee meetup with the guys because heās no longer comfortable drivingā¦ or going for outings is just getting too complicated. Maybe the stairs are hard to manage and getting in and out of your carā¦is starting to seem a little dangerous.
Saying the words Iām lonely or sad or depressed are not the usual conversation starters especially since mom or dad donāt want to be a burden. So youāre likely to hear them say theyāre fineā¦they like being alone.
Today weāre 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 bestā¦but youāre most likely busy with work, family responsibilities and wellā¦just life in generalā¦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 isnāt leaving the house and you know theyāve lost friends and family members ā¦ thereās a good chance they could be isolating. Of course sometimes itās 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! Iām not sure if that was for the soldiers or the worried momās back home but either way – Iām 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 sheāll have built in friends when sheās ready to move.
If youāre 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 centerā¦which most cities have and many cities also have affordable accessible transportationā¦so no excuses! Right!?
Well not exactly because bodies in motion stay in motion and you probably know the rest of that phraseā¦bodies at rest stay at restā¦ 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 tryingā¦ 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 caneā¦because wellā¦fear of aging.
So keep trying new ideas, a ramp, an iPad, a cool caneā¦your arm as a walking embrace whatever the solution ā¦donāt stop trying and donāt let your mom or dad stop with an āIām fineā.
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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