6 Ways to Help Older Adults

The cold, short days of winter can feel isolating to the older adults around us. Here are 6 ways you can help the older adults in your life combat loneliness.

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Social Distancing is Tough. Great Ideas to Stay Engaged and Use Your Free Time Effectively.

A common phrase amidst the responses to the spreading Coronavirus (Covid-19) is social distancing. This means some schools now have extended spring breaks. Sporting events, concerts, and other activities are canceled. Many public places like libraries, movie theaters, casinos, and churches are temporarily closing. In some places eat-in restaurants are shut down for the time being. People are encouraged to stay home and avoid contact with others, to slow the spread of the contagion.

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That's What It's All About

As a child did you ever put your right leg in and put your right leg out? Surely at a wedding or some gathering you have put your right leg in and shaken it all about. Have you done the Hokey Pokey and turned yourself about? Some say that’s what it’s all about.

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Fostering Friendships, Lessening Loneliness

How do we make new friendships? When we were younger, it may have felt easier to make friends. Many of us first met our friends through our neighborhood, school, college, or place of worship. With time, as many people get into relationships and start families, we may meet friends through commonalities such as other young couples or new parents.

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14 Ways to Conquer Loneliness

There are times in our lives when we all feel lonely.  Sometimes, our loss is profound:  the death of a loved one, the breakup of a relationship, starting over in a new environment.  Other times, we may simply feel “out of step” with the way everyone else appears to be behaving, or feeling, or with life milestones that others may be accomplishing but which we haven’t quite gotten to yet.  Whatever the reason, though, know that loneliness (on occasion) is normal.  As humans, we naturally crave togetherness and meaningful relationships.  Loneliness may come and go – and come again during different periods of transition in our lives.  While long lasting, persistent feelings of loneliness are not healthy, steps can be taken to alleviate this perception of alienation. 

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Loneliness is associated with higher health care utilization among older adults

Mar 2015 - A new study. published in the American Journal of Public Health, finds that loneliness is associated with higher health care utilization (more doctor visits).  We find this of great importance at www.lifebio.com because we are building interventions to connect seniors to other seniors using reminiscence therapy to build positive, lasting relationships to increase social connectedness in health care, senior care, and home settings.

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Beating Loneliness Through Life Stories

A recent U.S. study found that social isolation and loneliness are major health risks---as bad or worse than chronic illness, obesity, smoking 15 cigarettes a day, or alcoholism. This report joins a host of other recent studies, revealing what those of us on the culture change journey already know: Loneliness is a killer. The best outcomes are a necessity in the changing health care landscape. So, addressing social isolation, sooner rather than later, is vital to your organization’s success.

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