Like a fine wine, our finer years are meant to be enjoyed in good company. We explore the benefits of social interaction and explain how staying connected can positively affect us as we age. Read on and discover the advantages of independent senior living in a welcoming retirement community!
How important is socialisation for our well-being?
Socialisation is vital for people of all ages, no matter if you are one year old, fifty, or a hundred years old. And this is true for all community-based beings, not just humans (our pets too!). From birth, we are surrounded by loved ones, our parents, grandparents, and siblings. It is from them that we first learn how to connect with others, and as we grow over the years, this helps us to foster friendships, build our communication skills, and promote a sense of security and community. The importance of socialisation that started from a young age never fades or wears off as we grow older.
In fact, it’s even more important for us to maintain a social life as we come into our senior years. Not only does socialising keep us young at heart, it also helps us stay mentally alert and emotionally resilient. For older adults and seniors continuing to grow and enjoy their lives, staying connected and maintaining a social life remain important, especially for the longevity of our physical and emotional well-being.
How a social life supports our emotional wellbeing
Maintaining meaningful social connections with those around us has profound effects on our mental well-being, explained below.
- Staying social boosts brain health and reduces the risk of dementia. If you need a little motivation to go out and spend time with your friends, this is a good one!
- Socialisation promotes positive well-being and reduces the risk of depression. Social isolation is a leading cause of depression in seniors worldwide. While loneliness can have a negative impact on people of all ages, adults entering their senior years are particularly vulnerable as their routines change and so does their level of independence.
Continued socialisation can help the elderly feel connected and remind them that they are loved and needed. Maintaining social activities and interaction can give us meaning and purpose, and spending time with others, especially when doing something we enjoy or find rewarding, helps us keep a positive life perspective and maintain a healthy state of mind.
How a social life supports our physical wellbeing
Maintaining a social life not only helps older adults maintain their mental health but their physical well-being as well. Socialisation goes hand in hand with staying active, and the two can be used to support one another and hit two birds with one stone—so to speak!
Here are some of the ways a social life can improve our physical health.
- Community keeps us motivated. This is peer pressure in the best of lights. There’s nothing more motivating to help us beat our lazy days than friends and community holding us accountable. If going to the gym or going for a walk goes against your lazy day-loving soul, then getting out and about with friends may be the motivation you need!
- Friends increase our level of enjoyment in physical activities. While exercise and staying active are great on their own, staying active and working out, going for walks, or club activities with friends are twice as fun!
- Socialisation supports a healthy lifestyle. By being actively social, we can increase our physical well-being and reduce the risk of health issues later in life.
Physical activity has been shown to help reduce the risk of health issues in a multitude of ways, from lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems to reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, and potentially reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The positive health effects are boundless!
The Social Benefits of Senior Living Communities
For those worried about their health or the health of their elderly loved ones, lifestyle retirement villages can offer you the solution you’ve been looking for. Joining a retirement community that gives you access to excellent facilities, health care assistance, and a wide range of social activities is an excellent way of bringing community into your life.
For older adults who do not have easy access to regular social interaction, senior living communities can bring them the emotional, physical, and social activities they need to remain healthy. Examples of social activities available in retirement communities include group outings to the local shopping mall, movie nights, game nights, and meals shared in common living spaces. Residents can also easily get to know other like-minded individuals in the community and can organise and enjoy meals and activities with their neighbours as well.
Make New Friends in Lifestyle Retirement at Settlers
For seniors looking for lifestyle villages in Auckland, Settlers offers its residents the best opportunities to lead happy, fulfilling lives. If you’re looking for a lifestyle retirement village to settle down in, Settlers offers not only offers fun social activities for residents; we also bring peace of mind.
Residents can enjoy their independence completely while enjoying the safety, security, and excellent facilities of the village. For more information on life at Settlers, register your interest with us today!
