Skip to Main Content
chevron-right
chevron-left
chevron-down
chevron-up
chevron-circle-up
chevron-circle-right
chevron-circle-down
chevron-circle-left
Facebook Logo
Twitter Logo
Linkedin Logo
Youtube Logo
Instagram Logo
Google Plus Logo
Vimeo Logo
Issuu Logo
Right arrow
Left arrow
Location
Search
Phone Icon
Services
Home Care
Senior Care
Home Nursing Services
At Home Therapies
Respite Care
Home Care FAQ
Hospice
Bereavement & Grief
Hospice & Alzheimers
Hospice Costs
Hospice Pet Therapy
Special Care Programs
Your Care Team
Specialized Home Care
Patient-Centered Dementia Care
Arthritis
Congestive Heart Failure
Huntington’s Disease
Hypertension / Blood Pressure
Coronary Artery Disease
Diabetes
COPD
Joint Replacement
Mental Health and Depression
Home Care Support for Multiple Sclerosis
Palliative Care
Paraplegia and Quadriplegia
Parkinson's Disease
Pediatric Care
Traumatic Brain Injury
Ventilator Care
Wound Care
Veterans Care
Staffing
Staffing FAQ
COVID-19 Vaccination Staffing
Careers
About Us
COVID-19 Update
Our Standard of Care
Our History
Franchise Leader
Executive Team
Caring Brands International
Press Releases
Honoring Veterans
Historic Milestones
Contact Us
Education Center
Aging in Place
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Health Aide
8 Dietary Tips for Improving Senior Heart Health
Talking About Substance Abuse as a Caregiver
How to Take Care of Aging Hair
4 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality for Seniors
Designing Outdoor Living Areas for Seniors
Getting A Grip: How and Where to Install Bathroom Grab Bars
Keeping Active: Tips for Senior Gardening
Alzheimer's and Dementia
Calculating the Cost
Certified Senior Advisors
Consumer Health Care Education
Advisor Care Giving Guide
Care in a Residential Facility
Check Your Home Care IQ
Elder Care Communities
Consumer Alert
Medicare and Home Care
Senior Care Resources
Senior Care Scams
Consumer Rights
Signs That Care At Home is Needed
Long Term Care
Fall Prevention
Mobility in Seniors
Falls FAQ's
Home Safety Checklist
Home Safety Tips
Hidden Hazards
Medications and Fall Risk
Reduce the Risk of Falling
Risk of Falling
Visiting the Doctor and Discussing Falls
What to Do If Someone Falls
Family Caregiving
Elder Care Videos
Hiring Your Own Caregivers
Family Care Giving Facts
Information for Seniors
Long Distance Caregiving
Starting the Conversation
The Stress of Family Caregiving
Taking Care Of Yourself as a Family Caregiver
Home Care Technology
Hospice Fact or Myth
In-Home Caregivers
Senior Health
Exercise and Older Adults
Senior Nutrition
Taking Medications
Tips for Lowering Blood Pressure
Seniors and Zika Virus
Savvy Senior
Stories From Home
Transitioning from a Facility
Independent Living Assessment
Blog
Facebook
Linkedin
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
Home
>
Blog
>
January 2018
>
Help Your Elderly Parent Avoid Social Isolation
Help Your Elderly Parent Avoid Social Isolation
Posted: 1/19/2018 7:54 AM by
Interim HealthCare
One of the drawbacks of growing old is the increase in social isolation. Elderly parents that were once active in their jobs, the community and with their growing families and friends are eventually removed from all of that over the years. Illness, injury, loss of driving ability and more can further separate elderly adults from the activities and people they need. As humans, we instinctively want to connect with others and the extreme lack of interaction can lead to a condition called social isolation. Your elderly parent may be suffering from social isolation, so it’s time to learn more about it.
What is Social Isolation in the Elderly?
When people don’t have the chance to regularly interact with others, and struggle with inactivity, loneliness and depression, they are socially isolated. Seniors are at a high risk for social isolation for many reasons—they are most likely to be retired, living alone and unable to drive. Age-related conditions may render them less mobile, frail and fatigued. The older the person, the more likely they are to be socially isolated, especially if they don’t have family close by. You need to learn how to spot the signs of social isolation in your aging mom or dad so you can step in and help out. Their health and wellness may depend on your intervention.
Researchers have discovered that social isolation is quite bad for a person’s health. Mentally, it can lead to loneliness and depression and hasten the effects of dementia and other cognitive conditions. Physically, social isolation can affect the immune system and increase the risk of heart disease, arthritis, obesity, alcohol abuse and slip and falls. Without outside help, many elderly people continue to decline as they become more and more apart from their community.
How to Reduce Social Isolation in Aging Parents
To avoid the serious psychological and physical effects of social isolation, you need to spend some time figuring out how to keep them as active and involved as possible. There are several different ways
you can reduce their isolation and minimize any lonely feelings.
Here are a few ideas on how to keep your aging mom or dad involved in the community:
Host a book club or game night with a few of their friends.
Arrange regular transportation to the community senior center activities.
Give them access to technology like video chats, texting and emails to keep in touch with far-away relatives.
Hire an elder care aide to assist them with basic care needs and companionship.
Sign them up as the recipient for any community volunteer programs such as meal delivery and check-in phone calls.
Invite their clergy leadership over for regular visits.
Encourage other family members to spend the day or take them on an outing.
Arrange to attend events that they love with them, such as the movies, plays, concerts or art galleries.
Check out any volunteer activities your elderly parent may be able to do, such as sort items at a shelter or food bank.
Without help, elderly parents will not be able to avoid social isolation. That’s why it’s important for you to get involved with their activities and make sure they are getting that human connection that we all need to stay happy and healthy.
Learn more about
elder care
.