Anthropologists agree that one of the secrets of the incredible success story of humanity as a species is our intense social structure. This combines with our enormous brains to make us capable of creative co-operation on a scale unmatched in the animal kingdom. Its downside is that we are singularly ill-equipped to cope on our own. With a rapid increase in the number of elderly people in all developed countries, there is an urgent need for social contact, just when old age makes it harder to find.
The Curse of Loneliness
Many social scientists agree that in the western world we are living with an epidemic of loneliness. It is not just seniors who suffer, but they are the group who are most at risk and who find it hardest to develop remedies.
Loneliness is a contributor to poor mental health, significantly to depression and dementia. Studies suggest that regular social contact can be one of the best treatments for depression for the lonely. Dementia is also less prevalent among those who have an active social life.
Lonely people appear to eat less well and to take less exercise than those with strong social connections, meaning that their physical as well as their mental health suffers.
Filling the Time
For people on their own, especially those who have limited mobility, time passes very slowly. Most find that TV is better than silence, but many find that it can be mind-numbingly dull and that it reinforces awareness of isolation.
It is good to have hobbies to occupy the time, but the nature of humanity is such that the value of hobbies is found largely in the social contact that they supply.
Senior citizen centers do a great job of filling the time, and they also provide something to look forward to. This helps the rest of the week to pass more positively. With sufficient volunteers and staff, centers can provide a huge range of stimulating and entertaining activity.
A Sense of Purpose
It is not just the time that needs to be filled, it is also the sense of value and purpose which can be destroyed by loneliness.
It is one thing to look back on past achievements, but each of us needs a conviction that we continue to matter now. The latter years are not just a period of waiting for the end. When the time comes for our cremation in San Diego or wherever, we want to know that we have used our allotted span well.
It is important that the social contact we get is such that it affirms our sense of self-worth. It can tap into our creativity, or it can use our experience and skills to benefit others through a process of mutual support.
Make It Count
The last years of a life are precious and should be affirmed. This happens best when people are able to support each other, not as recipients of a one-way process, but as contributors to a strong and creative society. The vast resources of the experience of decades are too valuable to waste on loneliness.
Author Bio:
Aimee Barber works closely in her community with the elderly, helping with shopping, doctors appointments plus organizing social events and outings. She is also a keen article writer and hopes her articles will encourage the younger generation to befriend an elderly person.
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