Why is socialization important?
At our core, humans are social creatures. We thrive on being around other people, having communication with them, and simply having human interaction! Unfortunately, as we age, it gets more and more difficult to get out and have the interaction that we so crave. This can be for a multitude of reasons: mobility issues that prevent us from getting out and about to go to social events, illness that makes interaction and socialization more difficult, or, for others, increasing cognitive disabilities that can affect our relationships with other people.
Seniors in memory care can suffer the most from a lack of social interaction. Because these seniors often suffer from disabilities like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it makes it more difficult to interact with our loved ones, no matter how much we want to.
Here at our facility for memory care at Carlsbad, we strive to make your senior feel loved and valued among friends, no matter what they may be going through at the time. But the benefits don’t end there. Here are a few more ways that being socially active can improve your senior’s wellbeing:
1.) Socialization improves your mental and physical health.
As we age, we are more prone to suffer from loneliness. That loneliness can lead to a slew of medical issues, both mental and physical. These can include things like: depression, anxiety, and hypertension, and can even exacerbate cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Loneliness can also lead to other poor health habits, like a sedentary lifestyle, overeating, and smoking.
By simply creating a safe space for seniors to interact with friends, family, and other loved ones, the likelihood and severity of these illnesses and habits decreases dramatically. After all, you can’t exercise your brain, your body, or a habit if you have no one to do it with! Adding that accountability factor with a “buddy” is a big help to keeping yourself on track.
Regular socialization and conversation helps seniors (especially those in memory care) help to keep their cognitive abilities sharp. Conversation promotes attention to detail, memory recall, and improves mood, which can help with depression, anxiety, and cognitive abilities. Also, being around other people typically makes them want to be the best version of themselves, which promotes better exercise and eating habits. It’s a win-win!
2.) Joining social activities gets your senior active on top of making new friends.
One reason that seniors tend to suffer from loneliness is because they feel like they don’t have a good social group to belong to. This can be especially difficult if your senior is in a memory care facility or an assisted living or retirement community. Moving somewhere new to interact and be around people that you aren’t really familiar with can be a daunting task.
At our facility for memory care at Carlsbad, we want your senior to feel as if they’re part of a bigger community. We never want anyone to feel as though they have no one to talk to or participate in a community activity with. Plus, it gives your senior the opportunity to do something other than sit in their room all day, and get them up and out!
If they’re looking for something interesting to do or want to learn a new skill, try to encourage your senior to attend some kind of class, like a cooking or a painting class. This will surround them with people who are learning the same thing, so they can make friends with people who are learning the same things as they are. Plus, learning a new skill is especially great for seniors in memory care, as it gives them something to stimulate their cognitive abilities! It’s always important to try something new to get the brain working, and this does just the thing. Or, if your senior isn’t too keen on joining a class, maybe even attending a game night or an easy exercise class might be just the thing. They don’t know until they try, after all!
3.) Support groups can lend a listening ear from someone who understands what you’re going through.
Sometimes, learning to deal with declining cognitive abilities can be difficult. Your senior can tell that there’s something going on, that something isn’t quite right, but doesn’t quite grasp what it is that’s happening to them. Or, maybe they have a better understanding of what’s going on, but are struggling with how it’s affecting their family.
Seniors in memory care need a listening ear probably more than anyone, and sometimes the best support can come from people who are struggling with the same things that you are. From a declining memory, to strained family relationships, a support group of people who also have memory related illnesses are the ones that can truly grasp what’s going on.
Not only is this socialization important for seniors because it’s communication with people, but it’s important to build those bonds with people who understand and form strong new friendships.
Memory Care Carlsbad
Here at Bayshire Carlsbad, we want all of our seniors in our facility for memory care at Carlsbad to feel like they have that support and communication. Not only with their families, but also with their doctors, nurses, and fellow residents. This socialization can truly improve a senior’s well-being if they are allowed to do what humans do: talk to people.
We are so proud to offer opportunities for all of our seniors – and not just those in memory care – to get out and meet other people. From group outings, to painting classes, to games and parties, we make sure that the seniors in our care have the opportunity to get involved and do what makes them happy, even if it might seem like it’s difficult.
If your senior needs memory care, then our facility for memory care at Carlsbad might be exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re interested in checking out what we have to offer, contact us to schedule a tour today.