Socializing is as important as diet and exercise. There are instances when an elderly suffers from an illness or loses a spouse and friends and family tend to withdraw because that person can’t keep up with them anymore. Rather than keeping busy and finding other friends or methods of socializing, seniors often develop depression which can lead to other diseases such as alcoholism, heart disease and even cancer.
It’s been proven that seniors who enjoy an active social life can extend their lives by years. There are an abundance of benefits for socializing other than life extension –stress reduction, a feeling of importance and high self esteem are just a few of the benefits. Keeping active also reduces the risk of mental diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
It is sometimes better for elderly folk to take the lead to enhance their social life instead of waiting for others to make the first move. If your spouse just passed away, you have the choice between moping around or becoming active in various organizations. The effort involved in going to church, joining clubs, or catching up with old friends is so little when compared to the good it will do for you.
Being around people who have the same interests help seniors enjoy life even more. Seniors will be able to focus more on the positive things in their life when they take time to enjoy it with their peers. Joining an activity that’s new or something challenging, such as dancing classes, are especially helpful for seniors.
A Harvard University study shows that the benefits from socializing are equal to that from exercising for seniors. Having a job, whether paid or volunteer, is also an important and valuable way that seniors can socialize. Feeling needed and helpful is extremely mind-lifting and can make all the difference in seniors’ lives.
Mankind is different from animals in that they would not survive without human contact. Since we were young up to now, we need others to get on with our lives.
Of course, the need for a social life increases as we grow older. Stimulation is very much needed in our lives.
Remember the movie, Cast Away, when actor, Tom Hanks played a man alone on a desert island. Being desperate for a companion, he draws a human face on a ball that he found. The ball got lost in the end, and he mourned as if for a family member or a friend. When we can’t socialize, we will feel so alone.
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