Building Community: Why Social Engagement is Important for Seniors
Social isolation is one of the biggest emotional, mental, and physical health problems facing seniors. Many older people can struggle with finding a niche to fill, and many withdraw from new experiences due to
poor physical health and loss of familial support or lasting relationships.
However, social recreation and bonding is essential for quality of life after retirement. Here is why you should care about choosing an assisted or independent living situation that emphasizes community building and social relationships in its structure and policy.
Building Social Capital
Seniors need people they can trust. Sadly, when adult children move away and old friends pass on, an individual’s social capital begins to diminish.
Social capital is simply the security of knowing you can trust your neighbors. You can sleep well knowing that someone will be there to help you if you need help-not because they are paid to help you but because you have a bond of mutual respect.
Social capital helps seniors to:
- Stay more physically active. With more people to see and help, seniors spend less time isolated and sedentary in their homes.
- Find more purpose. If you know that people are depending on you, you take
greater care to meet your obligations, filling your days with meaningful activities. This is preferable to watching television as a means of passing the time.
- Catch and diagnose serious health problems earlier. When there are people checking up on you, they notice physical changes you might otherwise
ignore. Seniors might ignore an ache or pain if they have nobody to see or talk to.
- Stay independent. Some seniors may have a hard time feeling empowered to care for themselves when they have little or no social responsibility. However, when there are people to meet and serve, seniors can more easily find a reason to dress, bathe, and eat nutritious meals.
When looking for a senior community for you or for your parent, talk to the advisors about social capital. What activities might be provided to engage residents? What steps do the full-time staff make to encourage the build-up of social capital?
Sadly, over two million senior citizens suffer from depression in the United States. Instances of depression increase dramatically when people suffer from chronic diseases or other health problems. Social engagement helps to combat depression by:
- Reducing isolation. Many depressed individuals spend too much time
alone. It’s easy to do this in an independent living situation with infrequent visitors.
- Promoting professional help. Many older adults do not like the idea of speaking to healthcare professionals about feelings of hopelessness and fear. Increased social engagement provides more opportunities for informal assessment while also exposing a resident to more recommendations for getting help from like-minded individuals.
- Preventing suicide or self-harm. Consistent visits from trained staff who encourage participation in community activities will help you in noticing the danger signs.
Depression is often overlooked in seniors. Social contact is what makes the unseen seen.
Improving Physical Health
You might be surprised to learn that one of the most profound benefits of vibrant social opportunities is the impact on physical health. One study showed that those with involved social lives suffered 43% less problems with diagnosed disabilities than those who engaged infrequently.
Social activities can slow or lessen the severity of symptoms from dementia and chronic disease. Social activity can even help keep Alzheimer’s at bay. Socializing and building bonds with others through volunteer work, games, community projects, and other people-centered activities keeps neural pathways healthy.
For more information on the vital importance of a strong community for social engagement, contact us at Cedar Village. We can work with people of all backgrounds to provide diverse and enriching experiences for those in need of assisted living or independent care.