Is your elderly loved one socializing? Most senior citizens should be socializing at least a few times each week. The socialization could include visiting with friends, going to a senior center to do activities, or talking on the phone with a loved one. These are just some ways that your elderly loved one can keep in touch with others in their life. Companion care at home services can help them with these methods of socialization.
Why is socialization so crucial for senior citizens?
Maintaining Cognitive Functions
One of the reasons why socializing is so important for senior citizens is that it helps to maintain their cognitive functions. Some ways it does this is by:
- Boosting focus and concentration
- Improving memory
- Keeping the brain sharp and active
If you feel that your elderly loved one’s cognitive functions aren’t great, it may be a good idea to schedule them time to socialize. Some senior citizens go weeks without visiting with friends or loved ones. If your elderly loved one doesn’t have many people in their life to socialize with, you could have companion care at home provider visit them.
Better Emotion Management
Does your elderly loved one have a tough time managing their emotions? Maybe, you notice your loved one getting overly upset. They might be yelling at you or arguing with you more than usual. If this is the case, having your elderly loved one socialize more could help them to feel better about life and about themselves. Hopefully, it will help them to be in a better mood overall and that can help them to manage their emotions better.
Improving Physical Health
Socializing can also help your elderly loved one to improve their physical health. There are so many senior citizens who don’t get much physical activity. They may not feel like doing anything when they are home by themselves. However, since exercising and physical activity are so crucial to a person’s health, you may want to encourage your elderly loved one to socialize with you, companion care at home providers, or their friends. They can play games or go for walks with one of you. By doing physical activities regularly with friend or loved ones, your elderly loved one’s health can be improved.
Companion Care at Home Providers can Help
These are some of the reasons why socialization is so crucial for the elderly. Now that you know this, you may want to make a schedule to ensure your elderly loved one socializes often. You can have them to go their friends house, visit with companion care at home providers, or play games with you. Anything that gets them talking to and spending time with other people would be a great idea.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861644/