Aging and Loneliness
It's Effects and Remedies
Loneliness means feeling isolated. It leaves you feeling sad or afraid. You may feel lonely because you are: - grieving over a loss, especially the death of a spouse
- feeling misunderstood, unloved, or useless
- spending too much time alone
Loneliness is a problem for many older people whose lives previously centered on the job they no longer have or on family members and friends who are no longer around. Loneliness causes a lot of the anxiety and depression in older people. Lonely people don't always eat properly or get enough exercise. It may not seem worth the effort to shop and prepare food for one to eat alone. Walking or exercising alone may not seem to be much fun either. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise result in lack of energy and stamina and contribute to health problems, such as osteoporosis. Not surprisingly, when the effects of
aging and loneliness against the onset of Alzheimer's
were studied in Chicago, the results indicated that loneliness was associated with an increased risk of late-life dementia.
Work
There's no denying it. Maintaining meaningful relationships is beneficial to our health and that's even more so as we grow older. One of the best ways to ensure a network of social stimulation is on the job. More and more "boomers" are planning to continue working after retirement. Among the four reasons for continuing to work was to be able to interact with friends. The other three reasons were money, self-satisfaction, and nothing else to do.
Volunteerism
Volunteering is an excellent way to maintain social contact as well as a way to remain vital and helpful to the community. There are many volunteer opportunities available for seniors. For example, many hospitals have programs set up for seniors to act as friends to patients. Some seniors are comfortable with volunteering at hospitals as patient friends. There are also programs available at many local schools. Check out volunteer possibilities at your local
AARP
or
Senior Corps
for more information on local volunteer opportunities for seniors.
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