Many people end up living on their own in old age, due to the death of a spouse or the inability of a partner to live unsupported in the home with them. Living alone as a senior citizen can have a detrimental effect on your mental health and this in turn can have a knock-on effect on your mental wellbeing.
Recent studies have shown that this problem is compounded by the inability of older people to get out of their house. These studies showed a strong link between loneliness and certain types of inflammation, such as those present in Arthritis, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and type 2 Diabetes. This seems to indicate that the wellness of senior citizens is directly affected by their levels of loneliness. Fortunately, there are steps that all people can take in order to protect the older members of society.
Elderly relatives who live at home can be protected with the addition of a home carer. This person comes to their house and helps them with daily chores such as cooking, laundry and sometimes personal tasks such as bathing. As well as this important physical support, this regular visitor also offers companionship and interaction for the older person to increase their sociability and defeat loneliness.
Assisted living facilities can also offer a lot in terms of beating loneliness. The social side of group living can help to combat loneliness and often there are social activities organised which allow older residents to explore their interests while making friends who are their age and share their interests. In addition to this, the support from staff can help to give them confidence and to benefit from the constant human interaction.
By beating loneliness, older people will hopefully experience greater physical health and find themselves better able to enjoy their senior years.
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