Perhaps more than any other age group, seniors often feel lonely. There are many reasons they experience loneliness, such as the loss of a spouse, close friends moving away, children and grandchildren growing up and becoming busy with their own lives, declining health, or limited mobility. Seniors living with feelings of loneliness can also find themselves facing mental health issues brought on by loneliness, like depression and anxiety. Over time, both of these disorders can pose a risk to their physical health.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to help your loved one avoid feelings of loneliness and feel happier and more fulfilled. Here are five of them:
Help them meet new people
No one’s too old to make new friends, and there are many seniors out there who want to connect with people their age. Encourage your loved one to get out and socialize. A local senior or community center is a great place to start.
Check into book clubs, arts and crafts classes, or physical activities like pickleball or swimming if your loved one can physically participate. Churches or other places of worship are also excellent places to meet new people.
Many seniors aren’t comfortable going to social events alone and mingling the first few times, so go with them if you can.
Help them become familiar and comfortable with technology
Most seniors exposed to new technology, such as smartphones, pads, and laptops, have little trouble adapting. They’ve already lived with many technological advances in their lifetime, including televisions with remote controls and microwave ovens. As a result, many aging adults learn to use today’s new technology quickly and easily.
If your senior isn’t already using Zoom, FaceTime, or Facebook Messenger, show them what they’re missing and help them get connected. They’ll be able to enjoy spending more time visiting with their kids and grandkids.
Encourage them to join online communities
In addition to using technology and staying connected to friends and family, seniors can also use their devices to connect with other older adults through online communities. Whatever they enjoy doing – gardening, cooking, playing games, or just visiting – there’s bound to be an online group for it.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram also give older adults a simple way to stay connected with old friends around the world and join communities of people who share their same interests. Help them sign up and watch them enjoy.
Help them identify opportunities to volunteer
Another great way to help your loved one combat loneliness is by helping them find ways to volunteer. By getting out and helping others, they’ll have the opportunity to socialize and enjoy the feeling of satisfaction that comes with giving back to their community. Help your seniors brainstorm about the type of charity work they’d like to do and encourage them to jump in and get started.
Help them adopt a pet
Pets make great companions for seniors, and there are usually shelters nearby where they can find a dog or cat to adopt. If they’re a dog lover, research different breeds of dogs and find one that your senior can easily care for. People who work or volunteer in these shelters can usually provide helpful advice to a senior selecting a pet.
Senior1Care Helps Seniors Fight Loneliness
Senior1Care helps adults aging at home stay connected and avoid feeling isolated and lonely. Our companionship care provides the social interaction that helps seniors happily age in place.
If your senior loved one life in the greater Indianapolis area, contact us today and ask about our personalized in-home senior care services. Our carefully screened and dependable companion caregivers would love to spend time with your loved one enjoying fun indoor and outdoor activities.