We all know intuitively that it’s important for seniors to stay social, but the full impact of senior isolation may surprise you. The latest research shows that seniors who suffer from loneliness and isolation have a 14 percent greater risk of premature death than those who remain socialized, and are twice as unhealthy as those struggling with obesity.
Since so many seniors report feeling lonely – as many as 20 to 40 percent – Live Free Home Health Care, one of the best home care agencies in Bristol and surrounding areas, believes it’s important that we as a society shift our focus to enhancing the lives of seniors and doing all that we can to prevent isolation.
According to John Cacioppo, Professor of the University of Chicago Department of Psychology, “People are becoming more isolated, and this health problem is likely to grow.”
It’s important to note that preventing loneliness involves more than simply providing people for lonely seniors to interact with, although that is important. It is also a matter of reshaping their negative sense of self-worth and how others perceive them.
Hiring a professional caregiver from a one of the top home care agencies serving Bristol and the surrounding communities can go a long way towards fostering feelings of belonging in lonely seniors. Contact us to learn more about the health and quality of life benefits that can be realized through a caregiver-senior bond. We always begin with a free in-home assessment, provided by a registered nurse, to create a personalized plan of care. We then carefully match the most appropriate caregiver based on personality and interests, who very quickly feels like family, offering companionship through conversation, playing games, reading, transporting and accompanying to events and activities, engaging in arts and crafts, and so much more. Contact Live Free Home Health Care to enhance life for your senior loved one and keep loneliness and isolation at bay!