How to Stay Socially Active – Tips for Seniors

Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Rachel

Did you know that staying lonely most of the time is not good for your health? Isolating yourself from the world increases your chances of developing health problems. Are you a senior? When was the last time you had a meal together with a family or friends? Ever been in a group setting to share ideas and learn new skills? It is worrying that one of the things you have to deal with as you grow old is loneliness and isolation. But you can easily avoid going through this struggle. It is important to interact with family, friends, and the rest of the world. And you don’t have to worry because we will let you know of the tips that work best when it comes to remaining socially active as an elderly person. Keep reading…

What are the Benefits of Remaining Socially Active for Seniors?

Staying socially active has a lot of benefits. This is why you should keep your social circle strong and active. Apart from feeling less isolated, other benefits of staying socially active at old age include:

• Improves Your Mental Wellbeing. Studies have confirmed that increased social interaction among elderly persons helps in boosting mental health. It also keeps your mind alert and free from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Want to stay connected to the outside world and improve your cognitive abilities? Want to have a sharper mind and stay engaged? Join a group and take part in the daily group exercises. Read more at http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_social_connections_keep_seniors_healthy.
• Enhanced Physical Health. Certain diseases can be prevented by simply engaging in regular physical exercise. You should note that socializing is more than just a mental activity. It encourages you to involve yourself in physical activities as well, and this improves your physical health.
• Reduces Depression. Feelings of loneliness and hopelessness are always associated with growing old. Most seniors start losing the will to live anymore. Once you reach this point, you can easily get depressed and develop more problems that your body can hardly survive. Participating in physical activities and staying socially active can solve this problem.
• Reduces Body Pain and Recovery Process. Have you recently been in some pain and feeling like you are not yourself anymore? Have you tried talking to someone? Even if it is just a family chat? Engaging in social and physical activities will always make some diseases go away. It reduces recovery time for some illnesses, or when you have an injury.
• Prolongs Your Life. Living in isolated conditions? Well, did you know that recent studies have shown that seniors isolating themselves from the world increases their risk of dying is less than 5 years by 50%? Yes, staying socially active prolongs your life. So, why don’t you join that group for seniors in your location? Consider joining a senior fitness center. You will make more friends there and you can share a lot and learn from one another’s experiences. This helps you forget about your daily worries and prolongs your life. http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316#s1.

Tips For Seniors to Stay Socially Active

The way we relate with people, including friends and relatives makes us who we are. This is why seniors need to focus on building healthy and strong relationships. You know why? Because most of the elderly persons can surely thrive by seeing friends and having quality time with family. It is however so unfortunate that we find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships the more our ages advance. At old age, people are more likely to develop physical problems such as impaired hearing, reduced eyesight, chronic illness, and relying on people to be around them to help them cope with the changes taking place in their bodies. This makes social interaction difficult among the elderly. The elderly persons can lose their contact with the world since family and friends move away from them and at this point, maybe they have lost their long-term loved ones. It is important to socialize and the following tips can help:

• Join a Senior Exercise Program in Your Area. Finding it intimidating to attend a regular gym? Why don’t you consider joining a nearby senior exercise program? Many senior centers offer activities that are specifically designed for older adults. Having aging parents? Why don’t you encourage them to join these centers and even help them cover the costs for the first month? Please note that these classes are not only meant for physical exercises. They also foster good relationships among the seniors attending them.
• Have a Coffee Date with Your Senior Loved One. Are you a senior and you are in a relationship? Ever considered hosting a coffee date somewhere private. Offer to pay transportation costs. Cheer each other up by engaging in long talks and laughs. This will help you forget about your adulting worries and remain active.
• Offer Your Skills and Talents to Help Others. Volunteering some few days, a week will help you improve your connections by introducing you to other friends you wouldn’t have known. You don’t have to go to college to develop talents and skills you can offer to people. Of course, you have had a lot of experiences growing up. Do you believe you are a great cook? Are you an expert in playing games like chess and scrabble? Why don’t you share your experiences and talents with others around you? Use your knowledge to connect with others and interact with people around the world.
• Acquire New Skills. There are many community colleges in your area that offer different subjects that you can learn about. Pick up something new that you are not good at and acquire new skills. Even the senior centers offer certain training that you can benefit from. Learning doesn’t stop simply because you are elderly. You can learn some new things at any given age and if this can work best for you, why not go for it? Learning new skills boosts mental health among older adults.
• Travel to New Places. When you visit new places, you interact with people there. Traveling exposes you to different kinds of people and allows you to remain physically active. Traveling is a great way of socializing and avoiding isolation among the elderly.