The elderly need to keep socializing. This is something that all family caregivers need to know. If they don’t keep socializing, most elderly people will start getting very lonely. They may feel that people don’t care about them. This can cause them to isolate themselves even more. If you are a family caregiver, there are some things that you need to know about elderly isolation.
Elderly Isolation Can Be Very Dangerous
Studies have shown that people over the age of 52 who felt isolated or lonely had a higher risk for passing away earlier than those who were well-socialized. If your elderly loved one doesn’t have the proper socialization, it is important that you help them with this. You can go visit as often as possible. You can encourage your elderly loved one’s friends and family members to visit when they can. You can even hire caregivers to visit with your elderly loved one, too.
Increased Chances of Getting Sick
If your elderly loved one is isolated, they will also have an increased chance of getting sick. Research shows there is a connection between elderly people who are alone most of the time and health issues. For one thing, if your elderly loved one has a health issue going on and nobody is around to recognize it, the issue will just get worse. In addition, when nobody is around, many elderly people don’t eat very well. This can cause malnutrition, obesity, or other health issues. If you are concerned about your elderly loved one’s health, you or caregivers should try to spend more time with them. This can help you to recognize health issues in your elderly loved one and help to prevent these issues, as well.
Worsened Mental Health
When people are isolated, they have an increased risk of mental health issues. If your elderly loved one is by themselves almost all the time, they may develop anxiety or even depression. Some people who are isolated feel they don’t have any purpose. They need people around to make them feel cared about. If your elderly loved one is on their own a lot, you should do what you can to be around more. If you can’t do that, it would be a good idea to hire caregivers. Just having people around more can help to keep your elderly loved one’s mental health intact.
Conclusion
These are some of the many things that you need to know about elderly isolation. How much time does your elderly loved one spend alone? How are they doing with their lifestyle habits when they are alone? How is their health doing? If you notice issues with these things or even if you just want to prevent future issues, you and/or caregivers should make a plan to spend more time with your elderly loved one.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html