The Importance of Companionship for Aging Adults

Senior citizens represent nearly 17% of the population in the United States. Whether you are an aging adult or acting as a caregiver for an aging friend or family member, mental health should be concerned with. When developing a care plan for an aging adult, most people will focus solely on their physical health needs. If an aging adult doesn’t have their mental health needs met, they can experience bouts of depression and stress.

One of the most important things an elderly person needs to keep them mentally strong is companionship. Having friends and family members to rely on means the world to most senior citizens. Below is information about why companionship is so important for aging adults.

The Power of Social Engagement

As a person gets older, the chance of them becoming isolated grows. If an elderly person has retired and has no job to get up and go to on a daily basis, they might lose their sense of purpose. Failing to get out and socialize with people regularly can make a person feel very isolated. Most older Americans live alone, which means they may start to withdraw from the world around them.

The lack of social engagement can result in serious mental health problems. This is why it is so important to ensure your aging loved one is socially engaged. The team at Mayberry Senior Services provides an adult day program that provides senior citizens with the opportunity to socialize with people in their age group.

There are many socially-driven activities for attendees of this day program. These activities include things like games, arts and crafts and live music. By visiting our adult day program, senior citizens can get the social engagement they need to thrive.

Companionship Helps to Reduce Stress

Having simple social interactions can leave a senior citizen with a positive mindset. Most seniors crave social interactions because it allows them to feel great. In turn, an older adult’s stress levels will be lowered with regular social interactions.

If you see that your elderly loved one is overwhelmed with stress, then you have to do something to help them. By setting up social interactions for an aging person, you can help them refocus their energy on things that actually matter instead of allowing them to dwell on stress-filled situations they can’t control.