Social Connections Are Essential For Healthy Aging

December 14, 2021 Jessica Kluetz

Social connections are essential for healthy aging.

This post will conclude my mini series on the multifaceted approach to health aging used by both The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. In the previous three posts I have addressed monitoring health, mobility and mentation.

Maintaining Social Connections

If you have been following my recent series on health aging, thank you! This week is part four, the final in my series, and I am going to discuss the importance of maintaining social connections.

This has been made even more apparent since the pandemic started in early 2020. I have written previous posts on the negative impact the shelter in place orders had on the physical and mental health of our elderly population.

(Related blog post: Isolating Elderly During The Pandemic)

I think it can be said across the board, not just for the elderly, that someone who reports a good quality of life would include personal connections with others as a major factor.

Connections change over time.

As people age, social connections change through deaths of spouses, siblings and friends and through changing living situations. In addition, impaired senses (hearing and vision loss) and impaired mobility can also impair socialization. These changes can be very challenging to the aging population.

The combination of the sadness of losing someone or a home one may have been in for many years and the challenge of maintaining current relationships and making new ones might often feel insurmountable to many. Studies have shown both social isolation and loneliness negatively impact both physical and mental health. This can lead to earlier death and a higher likelihood of diagnosis such as dementia and cardiovascular disease.

(Related blog posts: Moving Elderly Parent, Memory Care For Dad)

Facilitating social connections.

So what can you do to help your loved one maintain social connections as he ages? Let’s start with the simple first step, and that is making sure you are taking a lead in maintaining your connection with your loved one. Regularly scheduled phone calls are good. If you live near your loved one, regular in-person visits are even better.

For instance, my dad makes a point of reserving Sunday evenings for visiting my Grandma, who lives in assisted living. My grandma has come to expect and look forward to these visits. Are there other visits outside of this set time, yes, but the consistency of these Sunday evening visits have been beneficial to Grandma. For those of you that do not live near your loved one, having a regularly scheduled phone call is a great alternative.

As we are now in the holiday season, large family gatherings are happening more often. Things are still tricky as COVID-19 continues to be ever present, however, I would encourage you to do what you can to get your aging loved one to family gatherings. Sadly, their opportunities for these gatherings are numbered, so allowing them the chance to be present for at least some of the gathering can be fuel for their souls. While you are at it, make it a point to get some pictures at the gatherings to have printed and placed in your loved one’s home to look at in the months following.

(Related blog post: The Importance Of Pictures)

On the note of COVID-19, I still highly advise precautions to be taken prior to the gathering, encouraging everyone who goes to be vaccinated, if they are eligible, and to monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if these symptoms are present.

Friendships are essential social connections.

Moving beyond the family visits, maintaining relationships with long-time friends and newly made friends is also very important. If your loved one is no longer able to drive, you might need to help arrange transportation to get your loved one to and from meeting locations so that she can take part in these visits. Yes, it does require some extra effort on your end, however, the health benefits for your loved one far outweigh the effort you might need to take on your end.

(Related blog post: How To Tell Elderly Parent Not To Drive)

What if your loved one is to the point where he no longer wants to leave his house or apartment? My mom noticed this with my Pa-paw in his final years of his life. It would often take quite a bit of encouragement to get him to do social activities that he once loved and never would have missed. Just like my mom and aunts did with Pa-paw, please continue to encourage your aging parent to participate in activities.

Sometimes they were successful, but sometimes they were not. On those unsuccessful attempts, if it was something they were planning to do with him, they just altered their plans and spent part of their time just visiting with him at his apartment. I think we need to continue to give our loved ones the autonomy to make their decisions on what they do with their time, but some encouragement to socialize is always okay. With that, I want to encourage you to keep asking. Even if your loved one says no ten times in a row, she might just say yes to an activity on that eleventh ask.

Find enjoyable activities that can lead to social connections.

Assisted living facilities and long term care facilities usually do a great job of providing regularly scheduled group activities and programs for the residents. If your loved one is in a senior community, encourage him to attend some of these functions. If your loved one still lives independently, help her to find and get to group activities that allow her to stay engaged with others.

I could write on and on about the importance of social connections for healthy aging. I do not believe we were made to be alone, so no matter how old one gets, having connections with other people remains of utmost importance.

Feeling overwhelmed with the process?

Afraid you may not make the right decision at the right time? This stage of life for you and your aging parent often brings more questions than answers. Reading information from a trusted source like me can help guide you in the process. However, if you still feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am happy to help with a personalized plan for your unique situation.