Why Social Isolation is a Hidden SDoH Crisis for Health Plans
Explore the overlooked impact of social isolation as a hidden social determinant of health (SDoH) crisis affecting health plans.
Are you asking yourself how to get your seniors to socialize? Being in charge of a senior community is a really rewarding job and you get to meet some wonderful people who have led incredible lives.
However, one of the challenges is getting seniors to socialize with each other. That's why we've put together this blog post with some socialization tips for seniors to get them more engaged in activities. Here's how to help them feel included and reduce social isolation and feelings of loneliness.
Socializing with one other is vital for health and wellbeing at every age. Loneliness has been found to be a major cause of physical illness and hospitalization in older people, especially when they are socially isolated, and highlights the importance of socialization for older adults.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, both these problems were increased, either by care homes closing to families visiting or people being unable to leave their homes. Good social and physical interventions are an integral part of senior care to keep people as healthy as possible.
If you are wondering “how do I get my seniors to socialize?” then you’re in the right place. It's not easy to get seniors to engage when they would rather be in their room. But, trying a few simple things in a communal area may get people talking and out of their shell.
Leave a jigsaw puzzle on a table so people can join in to fit pieces as and when they want. These types of activities also improve cognitive thought and bonding. Let's Stick Together is a sticker-by-number activity that anyone can do!
You could also organize a low-key happy hour event with a cocktail, drink, or "mocktail" for seniors to enjoy. On Televeda, we host holiday get togethers as a low pressure way for people to say hi.
Another idea is to have a coffee morning with some treats for an hour where people can come and enjoy the food and talk to each other. Keeping the timing brief allows people to interact with others but also to use their personal time as they wish, and to make sure most people attend at the same time.
Here are some tips to get your seniors to participate in social activities at your senior community:
Look into virtual programming. You can help seniors get more comfortable with technology so they can talk to family and friends or listen to online discussions and concerts. They can also join in online workshops and other activities.
At Televeda, we provide monthly activity calendars of curated, expert-led events hosted on our accessible live streaming software we designed specifically to work for people that don't love technology. Of course, we aren’t just the software or classes: we’re the tech support, event managers, content curators, and data analyzers--all to help improve organizations' operational efficiencies and keep senior communities making new friends.
Your local community will have a range of ways to interact with seniors and get them to socialize, like:
While socializing for older adults is incredibly important, you also need to be mindful that some people like to keep their personal space and will want to be alone sometimes. Getting a balance is important, especially when you have introverts in your group.
In that case, try events that promote togetherness, without the pressure, like a writing class, an art class, or something else where people are building skills individually, but together.
Keeping senior people active and socially interacting is vital for their health and wellbeing. It boosts morale, reduces boredom, and keeps people mentally and physically active. You can be really creative with the activities you choose and include seniors in the process.
Our team is passionate about helping people stay connected with their loved ones, no matter what stage they are in the aging process. Book a free demo today so we can help support the socialization of your community and reduce social isolation.
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