Social isolation among seniors is all too common, and will continue to increase as the older population grows. Good health and quality of life for seniors is directly connected to their ability to stay active and socially connected. As they age-in-place in their home, that becomes increasingly difficult. Here are some ways to promote social health and connectedness:
• Offer to help drive. It takes all your senses functioning at peak condition to be a safe and confident driver. As seniors age, they become more hesitant about their driving skills as their mobility, reflexes, eyesight and hearing start to diminish. With early dementia, judgement can be compromised. All of this creates a reluctance to venture out and do the things they used to enjoy. By finding volunteers to drive to activities, events and appointments, seniors will be more willing to venture back out into life.
• Encourage hobbies and life-long learning. Ask your senior what they like to do, and what they would love to learn more about – now that they have more free time. Then, find ways to help them accomplish this. It could mean joining a bridge club at the local senior center, taking part in a knitting class, or learning a new hobby like photography. Help them find the passion in their life again.
• Help support religious and spiritual pursuits. There is comfort in maintaining a regular church routine or spiritual connection with other people. Many seniors find peace and happiness with regular church fellowship, and most churches will place a senior on their midweek home visitation schedule to reconnect. In all cases, spending time with people with a shared belief and values system, thinking about something greater than self, is often inspiring and uplifting.
• Volunteer. Even if a senior has some physical limitations – they are a wealth of wisdom and skills earned and crafted over a lifetime. Participate in a local grade school as a room ‘grandparent’ to offer patient one-on-one help with reading, or crafts, or simply story-telling about what life was like growing up years ago. Local animal shelters and Red Cross centers often need help with a number of tasks. Call your local volunteer hotline to find all the volunteering needs in your community.
• Having pets or plants to care for is fulfilling. The act of nurturing can relieve feelings of social isolation. Make certain that the senior is capable and willing to properly care for the pet before giving a pet as a gift. Having a small raised bed or container garden can satisfy a senior’s nurturing drive, and the activity promotes greater health.
• Encourage healthier eating and fitness to promote positive body image. When you don’t look and feel your best – you tend to isolate, no matter what your age. Help your seniors to eat fresh, healthier foods, and avoid unhealthier processed foods. Keep fresh, washed fruits and veggies – and salad fixings on hand for quick, healthy snacking. Buy a deli roasted chicken for sandwiches and salads throughout the week. Plan a short ‘mall-walking’ excursion once a week to chat, and window shop. The small steps lead to big fitness and health gains for seniors.
• Have regular hearing and vision tests. When hearing and vision decline, seniors will isolate, instead of participating in activities and conversations. If a senior used to enjoy reading, but has lost interest – it might be because there has been a change in eyesight, and glasses need to be adjusted. Requests to repeat information or statements will often mean there is a hearing loss that could be corrected with a hearing aid. Help your senior stay engaged in life by having eyes and hearing checked annually.
• Encourage using mobility aids, if needed. Balance abilities decrease with age, and falls become a very real possibility. Fear of loss of balance that result’s in a fall, and possible injury can lead a senior to want to limit their activities. If balance is compromised, talk to your senior about using a cane or walker for greater stability. They may refuse, for vanity reasons – but encourage them to try it for a short while. Often, after using a cane or walker after just one week, most seniors really enjoy the renewed sense of freedom they create.
• Encourage neighborly visits and interactions. With families often living a great distance from aging parents, neighbors become invaluable to seniors. Contact your neighbors close to your parent(s) and ask if they will stop by occasionally to say ‘hello.’ Trusted neighbors will often see changes in daily behaviors and coping that are hard to monitor from afar.
• Shared eating encourages positive interaction. Encourage seniors to share a meal with others whenever possible, whether it’s with a church group, the local senior center, or a friendly café or diner. Dining with others is also likely to help encourage better nutrition, which is crucial for the elderly. Look for opportunities to take a senior out for a meal, or bring over and share something together. Also, look into congregate meal opportunities at local churches and senior centers. Often they also include transportation to and from the site.
• Understand and discuss incontinence issues. A senior who experiences incontinence may be hesitant to leave their home. Medications and incontinence supplies have come a long way recently, and with the proper help and aids, seniors can feel confident about leaving the home and not being embarrassed.
• Give hugs. Friendly, platonic touching from friends and family, like hand holding or hugging, can lower stress and promote feelings of well-being. People deprived of touch can experience decreased well-being. A simple, friendly hug can make a big difference in the day of a senior – or, anyone.
• Spend extra time if they recently lost a spouse. Older adults are at highest risk for becoming depressed and socially isolate right after a spouse has passed away. More than flowers, for a senior the greatest gift you can give is your time and simple companionship. If the depression and desire to isolate continues on for a lengthy period of time, discuss medication options with their doctor to help better manage on-going depression.
• Be supportive of the primary family caregiver. Caregiving can actually trigger social isolation. All too often, they don’t call doctors when they are sick, and they have little or no time to exercise or eat well. Take whatever steps you can to make a caregiver’s life easier and to allow them to have a social life of their own.
• Is it dementia? Early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s often trigger isolating behaviors. Confusion, loss of short-term memory, and general feelings of depression combine to cause affected seniors to opt-out of activities they normally enjoyed. If you see withdrawal from activities happening, consider scheduling an appointment with a physician who specialized in geriatric medicine for an assessment. Some forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s are responsive to new, emerging medications.
• Consider assisted living. The emotional, spiritual, physical and social needs of seniors are at the core of every well-run assisted living community. Everything from shared meal times to group field trips to interesting locations helps to encourage seniors to stay active and make new friends. In addition, well qualified clinical staff are able to monitor any changes on a daily basis, while resident care staff help foster independence and encourage interaction. Look for a fully licensed and accredited community that upholds these important aspects in their mission statement. The right assisted living community will help your senior put some ‘life’ back in their years!
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