Human beings are social creatures. Our social connections help us to survive and live a happy healthy life. As we age, many of us are alone more often than younger adults, leaving us vulnerable to social isolation – resulting in loneliness and health-related problems. The health problems that can develop as a result of social isolation can be depression and heart disease.
The importance of tackling loneliness and social isolation
An estimated 5 – 16% aged over 65 report loneliness with an additional 12% feeling isolated. These figures are likely to increase due to demographic developments such as family dispersal and health concerns. The number of people aged more than 80 is expected to treble in the next 20 years, while those aged over 90 will double.
Studies show that social isolation can impact on an individual’s wellbeing and quality of life, with negative health effects. Being lonely has a significant and lasting negative effect on your blood pressure. It is also associated with depression and higher rates of mortality.
As the UK’s population rapidly ages, the issue of social isolation is one of the biggest challenges faced by society – and it must be addressed. Health issues arising from isolation and loneliness adds pressure to our NHS health service and private care providers. By intervening now, we can improve the quality of life amongst older adults, whilst limiting dependence on more costly services.
Staying active in your own home is vital for healthy living
Part of the mental battle of isolation is remaining as active as possible – even if this means standing up 10 times in one hour and walking between rooms in the house.
Professor Muir Gray stated:
Older people can be helped to feel more positive if they engage with the world and stay active. Don’t lock them up and try to protect them.
People are more anxious about other people than they are about themselves. If the elderly you are helping has a garden, encourage them to walk around it – this helps ensure that your elderly loved one is not immobile for long periods of time. Try to limit the amount of time spent watching television and long periods of being bed-bound and replace that with time spent in the garden or pursuing hobbies such as playing the piano.
The UK physical activity guidelines recommends older adults participate in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day 5 days a week
You can also collaborate with your GP to create a fitness plan to keep you active around the house. Popular exercise activities that can be conducted at home is yoga and a workout regimen using light free-weights. Please concur with your GP before trying any new exercises.
Make the most out of online learning platforms
Older people are increasingly getting online. Data gathered from the Office for National Statistics show that 83% of people aged 65 to 74 have used the internet in 2019, a steady increase from 52% in 2011.
It may be worth ensuring that older people in your life are set up with the knowledge they need to make their lives easier and the means to entertain themselves. By learning new skills online, you broaden your skills set and create a common interest that is shared by millions around the world. This makes it easier to talk about this topic online with friends, families and even in the comment sections of a website.
To learn new skills you can join Udemy. Udemy is an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 100000 courses and 24 million students. You can learn anything from knitting, learning to play the guitar to more technical skills such as programming. Most of these programmes are free to enrol in. Video content is often used to demonstrate how to complete each step, making it easier to learn a new skill.
Use technology to stay connected
When isolated in your own home (due to illnesses or other circumstances) it’s important to remember that you don’t have to disconnect from loved ones. Thanks to technological advances there are several ways to connect with family members and friends. From traditional phone calls to video calling through apps such as FaceTime, it’s important to equip your elderly loved ones with the knowledge they need to get in touch when they need to. You should encourage them to call you regularly. A 15-minute phone call can go a long way, especially if you are unable to leave your own home.
If you are worried about the financial implications of staying connected regularly when it comes to calling/texting your loved ones here is a list of internet-based apps that you can use with no cost (apart from an internet connection) that is easy to use and navigate:
- Facetime
- iMessage
- Whatsapp (audio and video options available)
- Social media websites – e.g. Facebook messenger
- Skype
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