America, and many other countries around the world, are suffering from a pandemic that has nothing to do with viruses, though the recent COVID-19 outbreak has brought the issue to an all-time high.
The Health Risks of Social Isolation in Seniors
Isolation isn’t just a lonely place to be, it can actually cause serious health complications that can even lead to death—especially in the senior population. Those who feel isolated and lonely have a higher risk for a wide range of mental and physical issues that range from the cardiovascular to mental problems.
Just a few of the conditions that loneliness can increase the risk of include the following:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Poor immune system
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Alzheimer’s
Any of these conditions can result in death, which is why it is so crucial to build larger support systems both within personal circles and within the community at large. It can hit the retiree community the hardest, as one of the most devastating events that cause this isolation is the loss of a partner.
Even without that loss, transportation issues, lack of friends available, and even a loss of mobility can all increase isolation amongst the older generations.
To truly highlight the dangers of isolation, it’s important to look at the positive benefits seen in those who enjoy healthy relationships and feel fulfilled in their lives. People who have reached this state live longer, have improved mood, and are better capable of safeguarding their cognitive self.
Solutions for Senior Isolation: Housing
Senior isolation is an ongoing issue that has certainly come to a head during this pandemic. Social living options are becoming increasingly important to allow seniors to connect to others in the same area of life that they are in. Here are a few options for reducing isolation in terms of housing:
- Retirement Communities
A retirement community, without any additional support (medical or otherwise), is essentially just an apartment block or neighborhood that caters primarily to retired residents. As such, they have people their age in the same location who they can converse with, meet up with, and spend time with. So long as you get out and join the social goings on and talk to your neighbors, you are more likely to grow the necessary social connections you need.
- Independent Living Solutions
If you want more opportunities and convenience, then the best options are independent living situations. Belmont Village Senior Living offers some of the best independent living arrangements around. You live on your own, but have access to classes, programs, transportation services, and there are medical staff nearby if there is an unexpected emergency.
- Assisted Living Solutions
For those who need greater medical care, but want to retain as much independence as possible, there are specialized assisted living solutions that allow seniors to retain as much independence as possible, while still enjoying having staff nearby to care for their medical needs and taking care of many of the more strenuous daily chores.
Solutions for Senior Isolation: Social Opportunities
Making new friends is hard for adults, because we lack the structure we grew up with that allowed us to casually make new friends without any additional pressure. When you retire, you can actually take advantage of the similar structures that allowed us to make friends as easily as when we were kids:
- Through Retirement Programs
One of the best ways to make new friends for seniors living in independent or assisted living communities is to simply take advantage of the classes and events that are held on-site. If you live in a retirement community, check the bulletin board for morning walking groups, trips, and more that are organized by the residents, or consider organizing one for yourself.
- By Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to make friends and socialize, while feeling fulfilled by giving back to the local community. You can even use your career if you have specific skills that will help the local community be better for all.
- Group or Social Travel
Go as a pair, or go alone; if you want to make friends when traveling the best way is to join a group or social travel experience that encourages people to make friends while they explore the world in a pre-booked trip.
Solutions for Senior Isolation: Learning Opportunities
The best way to feel fulfilled, however, and to even make new friends in the process, is to learn. Learning and bettering the mind provides so many mental and physical benefits for your health, and there are multiple ways in which you can do it:
- Community College
Community college is a great place to take one-off courses, or to even complete a degree in a budget-friendly manner. It’s also a great place to meet people and to make friends, so you have the double-whammy of learning and socializing in one simple change.
- Online Learning
If you can’t get out right now then online learning is the next best option. There are a huge variety of online courses that you can take for free, just for the sake of it. If you want a more structured environment, however, or want to learn a more complex skill such as a language, then there are online learning courses that you can take where you learn and participate in online environments through video calls.
- Short-Term or Course-Based Learning
There are courses for everything. You can learn how to bake, how to make pottery, and that’s just brushing the surface. See what courses are available near you in your local community. It’s a great way to learn, to get out of the house, and to meet new people for a few weeks or even just a one-off experience.
Social isolation costs the government money. It costs people their lives. It cannot be overestimated enough. By working to build stronger social connections for everyone, we can build stronger communities and reduce the health complications of social isolation not just in our senior population, but for everyone. We are social creatures by nature; it’s time we started to grow our cities like it.
Colorado News
No comments:
Post a Comment