Significance Of Social Activities For Overall Wellness As We Age

  • November 14, 2019 BY  Anthem Seniors
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All of us know about the importance of eating healthy and staying physically active as we age, but what about social activities. According to researchers, social health can offer a range of benefits for aging adults like reducing chronic pain, delaying and preventing certain diseases, and helping in fast recovery from an illness or injury. Also, brain gets stimulated by social activities which can range from joining a book club, taking up bowling to chatting with a friend, etc.- thus keeping those neurons firing.

With age, our social circles tend to change as friends and loved ones may no longer be with us and children may move away, which invariably leads to decline in social interactions which in turn can make older adults prone to illness, depression and isolation. You might be surprised to know that social isolation increases the death rate two or three times higher than those who maintain strong relationships.

Assisted living facilities offer opportunities for senior residents to meet and bond with others. You are always surrounded by people sharing same interests as you with round-the-clock care from experienced caregivers. Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix offers high-end assisted care to senior residents. It’s an award-winning Anthem assisted living facility in the region.

According to studies, seniors who stay socially active experience a variety of benefits, including

Increased Motivation– Social activities can inspire us to do more which can be due to factors like encouragement from fellow seniors or success in learning a new craft or skill that helps expand the mind. Enhanced motivation will egg on seniors to experience new things and take part in more social activities, which will only further increase their self-confidence.

Improved Cognitive Function– Social activities keep us mentally engaged and one is more likely to experience positive cognitive health benefits, which is important to prevent the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Mind Stimulation– All social activities offer some degree of mental stimulation. Activities can range from signing up for cooking classes to taking up gardening, but each one keeps the body and brain actively engaged thus keeping the minds of older adults sharp and healthy.

Better Physical Health– Social connectivity offers a variety of benefits on your physical wellbeing as well, such as reducing your risk for cardiovascular problems, osteoporosis, even some cancer besides lowering your blood pressure. You can also see improvement in your nutritional health as we tend to eat more and make better food choices when we are surrounded by others.

Increased Life Span– Maintaining strong social circles can help you live a longer, happier and healthier life as family support and love from friends helps dealing with stresses of daily life efficiently and also inspires you to live healthier.

Social Activities That Can Keep You Engaged:

Besides health benefits, staying engaged helps give you a sense of purpose and a true sense of belonging. Here are a few suggestions to get involved with your peers:

  1. Volunteer within your local community.
  2. Join a group or club (golfing, gardening, reading).
  3. Try out a fitness center where you’ll get to meet other active seniors.
  4. Try out a new technology (get to connect with people around the globe via social media, Skype, etc.).
  5. Sign up for classes to learn new things like a foreign language.
  6. Reach out to your loved ones.

Anthem Senior Living in Phoenix, AZ knows that social activities or staying socially active is key to healthy aging. Book a suite and ensure well-being of your loved ones.

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