La Jolla Senior Care News

Are Friends Essential for Senior Health?

As your senior ages, you will want to be closer to them. It's natural to feel that way. You want to be around your parent and help them as much as possible and be their companion.
elderly people
Senior Home Care in San Diego CA: Friendships

As your senior ages, you will want to be closer to them. It’s natural to feel that way. You want to be around your parent and help them as much as possible and be their companion. However, this isn’t always feasible. You may have a family of your own to take care of, or they may need more help than you can give. This is when it is time to consider something like senior home care for your parent or elderly loved one. Senior home care provides companionship but is also a practical way to ensure your senior is living healthily.

As individuals become older, the bonds they form and maintain with their social circle become even more critical. It’s not only pleasant to have people to connect with socially and emotionally; it’s essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle as we age. Despite the difficulties seniors have in forming and maintaining close friendships, there is little doubt they are critical to the well-being of the elderly.

There are a few reasons why being social and having friends as a senior citizen are crucial. You should always encourage your senior loved one to stay socially engaged with others, and here is why.

 

Friends Help Battle Loneliness

A lack of social contact and a lack of purpose may decrease mental and emotional health in the elderly. People with mental health issues often have a hard time maintaining social and physical activity since they don’t have enough opportunity to interact with others. This might lead to a general feeling of isolation and even sadness in the long run. A good social life is essential at any age because of our inherent need for interaction with others, and it’s more important as we become older.

 

Social Activity Promotes Cognitive Health

This is one of the main reasons senior friendships are so important for a healthy aging process. The elderly need to maintain and expand their social circle. It doesn’t take much to improve cognitive health, such as playing a card game or picking up a new pastime together.

 

Sometimes Family Isn’t Enough

Of course, you want to be a friend to your elderly loved one. However, as a family member, you may tend to take a caregiver role and not even realize you’re doing this. It can make it hard for your loved one to view you as a friend. Having a friend to talk to, socialize with, and do hobbies together will greatly benefit you and your parent.

 

Friends Can Motivate Each Other

Having a companion who holds you accountable may be a powerful motivator. When elders get together, it’s not uncommon for them to spur one another on to healthy eating and activity habits. To put it simply, exercising together with friends is a great way for everyone to stay on track with their healthy habits.

 

A good buddy is likely to be the most persistent in reminding you of the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This might include everything from attending regularly scheduled medical checkups to maintaining a healthy diet or properly administering prescribed drugs. This means you’ll be able to pay attention to potential problems like strained vision or hearing loss that you would have overlooked otherwise.

 

For more information about hiring Personal Care at Home in San Diego, CA, call the friendly caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare who can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, at 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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