Humans are social creatures, regardless of what age they may be. Interpersonal connections are incredibly important and forming bonds towards one another is what propelled society as to what it is today. Humans as social beings crave social interaction, to be able to communicate themselves and generally work better through cooperation and communication.
Social Connections also play a role in home care services. They promote healthy behaviors and mental stimulation, especially among the elderly. Senior care facilities often end up having these problems as many seniors often miss seeing their families being far away from them. Studies also reveal that loneliness and isolation are often associated with higher risks to heart disease, depression and cognitive decline.
Older people are especially vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation, and they often have serious effects on their overall health. In home care, elderly isolation can still be a problem in and of itself despite being at the safety, familiarity and comfort of their own home. This can be attributed to family being inaccessible due to busy schedules, and it is up to the carers to provide that emotional and social support for the patient.
As a carer, it is also your job to provide relief to elders who might be suffering from loneliness. Among all the duties given to a carer, this might be the most difficult one to detect as emotions cannot be seen physically. However, there are ways to help alleviate the loneliness among elders which helps keep them mentally stimulated.
Encouraging regular social interactions. As a carer, it is imperative that you let the immediate family know the importance of social interactions for the patient. They may not even need to visit them anymore, as recent advancements in technology have found a way for people to be able to see their loved ones across distances via video-calling applications. Though, it is very much encouraged that the patient be visited physically fostering a much more physical connection.
Pets. Pets have been shown to improve physical and mental health. According to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, more than half of older adults reported having a pet. While not a complete replacement, pet owners have reported that having a pet allows them to enjoy their lives, reduce stress, have a sense of purpose and makes them feel loved and depended upon. A pet can also help promote an active lifestyle, as having a pet would require for one to have an active lifestyle.
Social Activities. You can also seek the assistance of communities around your immediate area to provide additional social activities for their patients. These social activities can be something along the lines like picking up an extra curricular yet non-intensive class like cooking, or picking up a hobby. Senior or community centers might be open to this opportunity, likewise, bulletin boards are also a great way to find communities like these where the patient might be interested in.
Aside from physical pain, emotional and mental pain is something a carer too has to manage. Carers should be well perceptive of what the patient is currently feeling, and should arrange convenient and well thought of methods to provide comfort for the patient. That being said, preventing social isolation and loneliness is one of the best methods into providing care for a patient.