A recent study found that people that have more social ties have healthier and happier lives at any stage in their life. The younger that strong social circles were created, the better health is at the beginning and end of their lives. In fact, this study found that social networks are just as important as exercise and diet. Researchers were able to point to social backgrounds and link them to things like obesity, high blood pressure, and inflammation. It was the first study of its kind, and it underscores just how important it is for our loved ones–and ourselves–to maintain strong social bonds early in life and nurture them as we age.
This certainly has a large impact upon the lives and the health of elderly individuals. First, it implies that friendships are important and should be maintained if at all possible. As we grow older, this becomes more and more difficult to do thanks to the limited mobility that many seniors deal with, poor health, and the fact that many of them have either moved away from their friends or their social contacts have passed away. In some cases, new friends can be made. If this is where your loved one is, you should definitely help them to pursue meeting new people. This can be done at senior centers, adult daycares, or through a number of other activities.
In many cases, you will find that a companion might be tough to come by thanks to advanced care needs. If this is the situation that your loved one is facing, a professional in-home caregiver can be a good choice. Besides all of the daily care tasks that a caregiver assists with, these professionals are a great source of friendship. True, this is not their primary duty, but when a caregiver comes into your family’s life, they can quickly become trusted friends. This is one of the extra benefits that comes with a great care service. Thanks to the fact that they have probably screened their employees and that they are fully trained, the care and companionship that is provided goes beyond a job and becomes a new opportunity for friendship. In the end, this gives seniors another chance at bettering their social connections, and even may create a way to better their health. And because senior care services have many employees to choose from, they stand a better chance of pairing your loved one with the employee that will most likely be a good match for them and their specific set of needs.
This is a very important, yet often overlooked, aspect of senior health. When our elderly loved ones are happy and well cared for, managing health becomes so much easier to do. It might be that they are not in any better physical condition, even, but because they now possess a more positive attitude, it seems like they are much healthier. This ends up being a benefit simply because they are now dealing with the necessity of their care on a better level.
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