How to Help Your Senior Avoid Loneliness While Aging in Place
With nearly 8 out of 10 seniors preferring to stay in their home as long as possible according to AARP, chances are your loved one is in good company. But family and friends often have concerns for their safety and well-being.
Some of these issues can be resolved quickly and easily, such as adding a new railing along the front walk or modifying the shower. Others, like avoiding loneliness, will require ongoing effort. In this guide, we’ll show you the signs your senior may be lonely when aging in place and how to combat it.
» Download our free guide to home care, "From Crisis to Caregiver."
Why Loneliness Matters
Human connection isn’t just about finding ways to pass the time; we are biologically conditioned to seek out connection with others.
Boredom isn’t the primary concern when it comes to loneliness. When left isolated at home for too long, several of these conditions may arise or worsen::
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Cognitive decline
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
According to the University of Michigan, 34% of Americans between the ages of 50 and 80 feel social isolation. This group is part of the same demographic that also has a strong preference for aging at home.
4 Ways to Combat Loneliness For Your Senior
As your senior finds it more and more difficult to visit friends or participate in community activities, loneliness becomes a bigger challenge. Consider these ideas to help your senior stay connected:
- Identify friends nearby
- Plan regular visits to those friends as well as to nearby family members
- Schedule activities
- Explore hobbies and interests
Identify Friends Nearby
It’s easy to assume that your senior will be able to stay connected with neighbors, but before you do, take stock of who actually lives nearby. Long-time neighbors may have moved away, or they may have their own health or mobility limitations. Newer neighbors may be happy to stop by for an occasional visit, but they won’t know they should unless you ask.
Start by finding out which neighbors your senior feels comfortable with, and then begin reaching out. Creating a community of others who are also aging in place offers a sense of stability. If your senior is unable to visit friends on his own, a caregiver can provide transportation to their homes or community events or help host when friends stop by your senior’s house.
Plan Regular Visits
Be sure to consider how often you’ll be able to visit. Even with the best intentions, many adult children find that work, family responsibilities, and travel time limit their visits more than they’d like. A caregiver can step in to spend time with your senior on days that you or other family members are unavailable. Or, the caregiver could bring your senior to your home for a visit when time is short.
If you live far away, consider how your senior might visit you. Is it simply a matter of finding transportation, or has long-distance travel become too difficult to make trips a realistic option? If your senior’s health doesn’t limit travel, the right caregiver can make it possible.
Schedule Activities
Take time to consider the weekly and daily activities that will keep your senior stimulated and occupied. Feeling needed is especially valuable, so encourage your senior to continue doing household chores like simple cooking or cleaning if they can. You can also check with community organizations for manageable volunteer opportunities or lectures and other programs of interest.
Be sure to help your senior modify their favorite hobbies if necessary. For example, gardening can be done from a chair with a raised bed or pots. An avid reader can switch to audiobooks to overcome poor vision. Again, a caregiver can step in to help with these activities as your senior’s abilities decrease.
To help seniors avoid loneliness, look for ways that they can continue living a full life – doing the things they enjoy and interacting with the people they love – for as long as possible. It may require a bit of creativity and some extra support from a caregiver or family member, but it can be done.
Explore Hobbies and Interests
Exploring hobbies and interests helps combat loneliness in seniors by providing both mental stimulation and opportunities for social connection.
When your senior engages in activities he or she enjoys, whether it's gardening, painting, woodwork, or playing music, they can join clubs or groups focused on these interests, leading to meaningful relationships with like-minded people. Additionally, having a hobby gives participants something to look forward to, topics for conversation, and a sense of purpose and accomplishment that boosts their overall well-being and makes social interactions more fulfilling.
A Caregiver Can Help Your Senior Manage Loneliness
Aging in place can be a lonely pursuit for someone living on their own.
While you may do your best to be there for a loved one, it's hard to juggle the demands of your life with the demands of elder care. That does not mean a senior can’t stay home, they just need someone there to provide support, care, and companionship, and that’s where a caregiver can help.
By hiring a caregiver you can ensure your parents get the care and socialization she needs without being fully dependent on you or her network of friends and family. A caregiver can help your senior combat loneliness in the following ways:
- Regularly engaging in conversations with your senior
- Helping to facilitate telephone communication and in-person visits with friends and family
- Supporting them with technology to engage with others virtually
- Helping transport them to and from social activities
And more.
If you never hired a caregiver before, the process may seem daunting. Read on for our free guide to navigating your options as you look for the ideal companion for your senior.
Thinking About Home Care? Download Our Free Guide “From Crisis to Caregiver”
If the thought of hiring a caregiver makes you feel overwhelmed, we recommend downloading our free eBook, “From Crisis to Caregiver: An Uncomplicated Guide to Home Care.”
This eBook discusses the ins and outs of hiring a caregiver, arming you with a trustworthy resource to make the best decision for your loved one. Our eBook takes a no-nonsense look at:
- The realities of financing senior care
- Straight talk about the pros and cons of the three common home care options.
- Our own stories of hiring caregivers as a way to highlight the unexpected pitfalls you’ll want to avoid
Click the button below to download the free guide and take the first step toward approaching the hiring process with confidence and peace of mind.
Download the Free Guide:
From Crisis to Caregiver
You'll learn:
- How to hire a caregiver for your loved one
- Pros and cons of the most home care hiring options
- Strategies for managing costs
- Advice on challenges you may encounter
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