A sense of community and companionship are important parts of every stage of life, but they can be harder to find as we age. To avoid isolation, it’s important to encourage social engagement in seniors by providing enriching and fun activities. At Fairlawn of Olympus Retirement Living, we’re committed to offering a safe place for seniors to thrive among their peers. Let’s look at ways to encourage your loved ones to get out and socialize with others.
One of the best ways to encourage social engagement is to provide social events and activities for them to attend. Regular classes like arts and crafts, book clubs, and game nights can bring like-minded people together to be creative while filling their social cups. Here are a few suggestions for encouraging social engagement among seniors:
The best way to encourage social engagement is by creating a wide range of activities and events that are scheduled throughout the year. This gives seniors a chance to pick activities that are interesting to them and allows them to meet others who have similar interests. Some of these fun activities include:
People are hard-wired to live in community with one another. Unfortunately, many seniors face unique challenges in finding and maintaining meaningful friendships. Health problems, isolation, and mobility issues can make it difficult to leave home, but the benefits of social engagement are far-reaching. Experts continue to tout the importance of senior friendship regarding a person’s psychological, cognitive, and physical health.
Seniors who are actively involved with their peers have higher self-esteem, are more confident, and are less likely to suffer from mental health issues like anxiety and depression. They’re also more likely to exercise in a group setting, leading to fewer health issues like cancer and heart disease. Having a solid community also impacts a person’s cognitive health. Seniors who socialize with their peers regularly receive more brain stimulation, and they are often less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
If you’re beginning to think about the future, check out Fairlawn of Olympus Retirement Living. Our community boasts a wide variety of activities, health and wellness programs, and enrichment opportunities for residents who live here. Feel free to use our Community Assistant to get quick answers to questions, or contact us anytime. We’d love to show you around our beautiful community.