Healthy, Happy Relationships are Helping Seniors Live Longer

Study after study has shown that good relationships do wonders for our health, quality of life and happiness – and the same goes for seniors! Strong social connections are just as important as eating well, getting exercise and accessing quality medical care. Here are some insights from our United Methodist Communities HomeWorks specialists in New Jersey.

• A feeling of purpose: Often times, seniors could be vulnerable to losing their sense of purpose in life, making them vulnerable to depression. Social connections through friendships, hobby clubs and other groups, give residents reasons to get up in the morning, care for themselves and look forward to what life has to offer.
• Motivation to get healthy and active: Social groups and relationships work to encourage individuals to try new things, take on new challenges and keep improving themselves. Whether it’s a book group keeping up with current literature, a dance group teaching ballroom dancing or a walking club that helps people to keep exploring the outdoors, social groups help support intellectual and physical health.
• Change for the better together: Changes, as we age, can become more and more difficult to cope with, whether we’re facing mobility problems, chronic health conditions or recovering from a sickness or fall. A support group that not only includes therapists and professionals, but also peers going through the same struggles, means finding a helpful community to provide that essential support and encouragement.
• A positive knock-on effect: One of the most important results of healthy social connections is the positive effects they have down the line. A phone call from a loved one may lead to a better food choice at lunch, or a decision to try harder at physical therapy. An afternoon with the gardening club may lead to a choice to go out to enjoy the beauty of nature in a park, or uplift your mental state.

Essentially, good social relationships encourage us all to try a bit harder to make more of our lives, and that applies to seniors as well as the rest of us!

Affordable and compassionate help for seniors at home

At United Methodist Communities, we strive to offer the very best quality senior care options, from assisted living to in-home senior care through our HomeWorks program. This program is about assisting seniors in the comfort of their own homes and providing them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence. For more information on our at home care for seniors, contact us today.

This post originally appeared on https://umcommunities.org/blog/healthy-happy-relationships-helping-seniors-live-longer/