How Elder Care Can Help with Loneliness

Loneliness is a serious problem for older adults. It can impact their health and, according to experts, raise the risk of death. Currently, 42 million people in the United States say they are lonely. There are lots of reasons seniors may be experiencing loneliness. They may be home bound because of an illness or disability that keeps them from driving and makes getting out hard. Or, perhaps they’ve recently moved away from their friends to be closer to family. Regardless of the reason for their loneliness, elder care can help them to be happier and less lonely. Below are some things that elder care can do to reduce loneliness in older adults.

Frequent Visits

Home Care Abington, PA:How Elder Care Can Help with Loneliness

Elder care providers can be hired to visit your older family member as many times per week as needed, even daily. This automatically gives the senior another person to interact with. While at their house, the elder care provider can assist with things that may be difficult for your relative, such as cleaning and cooking. Or, the elder care provider can simply provide companionship by sitting and chatting with them, playing a board game or a few hands of cards, or by engaging them in a craft or other hobby.

Offer Transportation
Being unable to drive keeps many older adults from getting out in public where they can be around other people. It can also prevent them from running necessary errands. An elder care provider can drive the older adult where they need to go, such as the grocery store or pharmacy. An elder care provider can also take them to visit friends, go to a worship service, or attend a club meeting. Elder care providers can even just take the older adult for a drive to get them out of the house for a while on a nice day.

Encourage Participation
Sometimes it is hard for older adults to participate in their community because they cannot go to events. That can make it particularly hard for seniors who have recently moved to meet people and make new friends. An elder care provider can encourage them to get involved in things like a volunteer position, classes or seminars at the local library, or a senior exercise class at a local gym. Elder care providers can also encourage participation with new people by introducing the senior to others and helping them to overcome disabilities that make interacting hard, such as vision or hearing loss.

If you or a loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Abington, PA,  talk to Unlimited Staffing Solutions. Specializing in Home and Community Based Support Waiver Services Since 2001. Please Call Us for Your Home Care Needs (215) 447-7133.

Sources
https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/loneliness-risk-death.html