Ensure Seniors Don't Feel Lonely

It can be hard for seniors, to acknowledge their feelings of loneliness and isolation especially during holidays when families come together. An invitation to a dinner can make all the difference in their day. If they have difficulty to come for a visit, bring the celebrations to them to ensure that seniors don’t feel lonely.

Seniors Stats

Last year, 28% of Americans aged 65 and over reported feeling severely lonely on a regular basis. That number raised to 45% during the holidays. This statistic is extremely important to be aware of because loneliness is not just an emotional stage, it may lead to distress and impa
ired quality of life. According to Harvard’s research that followed over 44,000 senior-participants, “loneliness was a predictor of functional decline and death.” The death rate of lonely participants was 9% higher than among those seniors who had a spouse or lived with others.
Family gathering for the holidays is the great way to address loneliness in our senior loved ones and to help beat their depression.

Forewarned is forearmed

Seniors’ feeling of loneliness worsens during holiday seasons due to a number of reasons. It is important to understand why seniors feel lonely. Holidays are an emotional time, during which we make life time memories with loved ones. Spending time with them during holidays and making new memories will help them to feel much happier.

Take action!

Follow five easy steps to help your senior family members cope with feeling of loneliness during the holidays:

• Spend as much time with them as possible.
• Listen when they want to talk.
• Remind them that they are an important guest at the party.
• Invite their friends to the celebration.
• Check on their well-being.

Help your family members to overcome their feeling of loneliness. Make sure your seniors don’t feel lonely during the holidays, celebrate the upcoming memorial day with your loved ones. If you don’t have an opportunity to invite them to this year celebration, use home health care services in your favor. Trained social workers will help your loved ones beat depression and feel better during holiday season. Call WPHHA today or visit our website for more information.

Western Pennsylvania home Health Association is a non-profit organization, servicing clients throughout Western Pennsylvania. At WPHHA we have coined the term “mobile healthcare services” to meet your needs on your time. These include in-home nursing, non-medical homecare and rehabilitation services. Our main concern is to help you or your loved ones maintain the highest level of wellness and independence.