Preventing Social Isolation In The Elderly

Social isolation is one of the most common problems that might affect the elderly as they step into their later years. Learn more on the signs and reasons for social isolation so that you can help prevent your loved ones from socially isolating and help them have a fulfilling life in their later years.

Signs of Social Isolation in the Elderly

These are some of the signs that your loved ones are starting to socially isolate themselves:

• They have a lack of interest in their daily activities.
• They start to withdraw from their social circle.
• In serious cases, they become less interested in maintaining their hygiene.
• You may notice that they start to eat poorly.
• They may also have more clutter or hoard things in their homes.

Reasons for Social Isolation

Here are some of the reasons your loved ones are becoming socially isolated:

• When your loved ones retire, they could lose their friends and colleagues, and their social circles become smaller.
• Your loved one might also become less mobile or have chronic health conditions that cause them to isolate.
• Research shows that living alone and having a lack of social support, either from friends or family, might also cause them to start socially isolating.
• They may have a limited amount of money or have a lack of access to transportation, which might increase the risk of social isolation.

Tips to Prevent Social Isolation

There are many things you can encourage your loved ones to do to prevent social isolation:

• Explore new hobbies and increase their social circle. For example, you can persuade your loved one to join a club they are interested in.
• Own a pet if your loved ones love animals. A pet will give them companionship.
• If your loved ones eat alone, try asking them to eat with others as often as possible.
• Teach your loved ones to use video chatting platforms like Zoom to stay in regular contact with you and their friends.
• If your loved ones are isolated and in need of medical services, you can use in-home care services.
• You can also encourage your loved ones to consider moving to a senior living community. One place whose services you can engage in is TerraBella Lake Norman. Our teams will provide your loved ones with a wide array of activities so that they can make friends and feel less lonely. TerraBella Lake Norman also provides personalized care and will ensure that your loved one will not be left uncared for.
• If your loved ones have mobility issues or chronic conditions that cause them to socially isolate, you can find tools and services that would help your loved ones engage in activities they used to before they had these issues.
• If your loved ones do not have easy access to transportation, you can help them increase their access to transportation. This will help reduce the possibility of social isolation.
• If your loved ones have impaired vision or hearing, you can also encourage them to use devices that help them to listen or see better so that they can connect with others.

With these tips, you can be better prepared to prevent your loved one from socially isolating. Instead, you can help your loved ones to better experience their golden years.