Get Social - Be Healthy!

It’s fairly well-known that as we age, we experience more psychological distress simply from growing older. For example, our families move away, we retire, we downsize our living arrangements, and our friends pass away. Although this is “life” (as some say), it is also a dangerous time causing significant stress that can lead to illness and premature death.

One of the key components of maintaining a stable mental health as we age is through social interactions. The World Health Organization has largely noted that being social is critical to reduce psychological stress. A recent study of 236,490 Australian adults, known as the 45 and Up Study, unveiled some interesting results associated with social interaction. Those who had regular social interactions (phone calls, visits, or group activities) had a reduced risk of psychological distress. Of interest, there was no association between frequency of contact and risk for those ages 85 and older; but for those ages 45-84, frequent contact was important. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in stress risk for women than for men indicating that women have a stronger need for social interaction to maintain solid mental well-being.

This particular study, along with numerous others on the topic, supports the need for social interaction (human to human contact) as we age. How do you maintain social interactions when your family moves away and your friends pass on?

There are numerous ways you can get “social”:

1. Volunteer: Find a charity you love. Local churches have all types of activities for older adults. The Senior Center is another great place to find friends and stay connected.

2. Join a group or club: Meadville and Crawford County has a significant number of organizations that you could join: Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lion’s Club are just a few of them. Any of them would welcome your membership.

3. Sign up for a class: Learn a new language or a new skill. The Crawford County Career and Technical Center offers a plethora of adult evening classes, including Introduction to Computers and Basic Automotive Maintenance. Other organizations offer classes like Sign Language. Or you could become a tutor in your own specialty area for young learners.

4. Sign up for an organized 5K walk: There are numerous ones out there and you might find some walking buddies in the process. For example, the French Creek Recreational Trails group is holding its annual Memorial Day Human Race 5K Run/Walk on Memorial Day. This presents a good opportunity!

5. Get fit: The YMCA has a Silver Sneaker’s program where you can find other seniors your age and workout together.

There are more benefits of regular social interactions than you think. There are a few noted by the University of Rochester Medical Center as well as Grandparents.com:

1. Reduces your risk of cardiovascular problems, some cancers, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis

2. Slows your risk of memory loss and reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease

3. Lowers blood pressure

4. Reduces risk of mental health issues such as depression

5. Reduces the risk of stroke

6. Boosts your immune system

7. Relieves pain

Works Researched for this Post:

Grandparents.com. (2014). 6 health benefits of being social. Retrieved by http://www.grandparents.com/health-and-wellbeing/health/health-benefits-being-social.

Phongsavan, P., Grunseit, A. C., Bauman, A., Broom, D., Byles, J., Clarke, J., Redman, S. and Nutbeam, D. (2013). Age, gender, social contacts and psychological distress: Findings from the 45 and up study. Journal of Aging Health, 25(6), 921-943. doi: 10.1177/0898264313497510.

University of Rochester Medical Center. (2014). Older adults and the importance of social interaction. Retrieved from http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4513.