Social Seniors: The Health Benefits of Community Living
By Dianne Duffy,
Community Relations Director,
Glen Mills Senior Living
When Mom and Dad start to need a little help throughout the day, home care, adult day care, and senior living communities are just a few of the care options available.
In addition to the personal care offered by different providers, you’ll also want to look at the way each helps seniors stay social.
Social health is just as important as physical health when it comes to enjoying one’s lifestyle. Recent studies have found that if we don’t use our social skills, we can actually begin to lose them. An article published in The New York Times on March 23, 2013 by Barbara L. Fredrickson, professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, revealed the brain-heart connection and how staying social “…can help regulate the internal systems that keep you healthy, like your cardiovascular, glucose and immune responses.” The study looked at the overuse of technology as a substitute for face-to-face interaction, and the lessons from it can apply to us all.
As we get older, we don’t have as many opportunities to connect with friends, often because we can no longer drive or move around as easily. This however, doesn’t need to limit how social we can be. It’s nice to have a group of friends to share experiences with – whether it is friends you may already know from your hometown, or friends you make when you arrive at a new community.
When a senior receives care at home, typically a caregiver visits for a set number of hours, and provides a range of services, from personal care to companionship and even light housekeeping in some cases.
Senior living communities offer similar personal care services to seniors who need assistance with activities such as medication management, bathing, dressing, and dining, while also offering a full calendar of activity programs and transportation to events and appointments.
For some, care at home is a great option, if family and friends can stop by often. For others, living at a community surrounded by friends brings out the best in them.
“When you visit a community, observe how involved residents are. If they’re smiling and actively involved in activities, parties, games, crafts, that is a strong indication of a strong social life.
Dianne welcomes families to call 610-358-4900 to make a lunch or dinner reservation and learn about Personal Care services and rehabilitation at Glen Mills Senior Living.
About the Author:
Dianne Duffy is the Community Relations Director at Glen Mills Senior Living, a Five Star personal care home (formerly known as assisted living) which also provides short-term respite stays, located at 242 Baltimore Pike in Glen Mills, PA. Glen Mills Senior Living residents live in their own private apartments while enjoying the support of the community’s caring team, which includes 24×7 on-site nursing staff. Owned and operated by Five Star Senior Living, one of the country’s largest and most trusted providers, with over 210 communities in 30 states, Glen Mills Senior Living is proud to help seniors and their families discover a healthier, happier life.
Dianne invites you to call her at 610-358-4900, to make a reservation for a complimentary lunch, learn more about Glen Mills Senior Living, or to discuss your family’s financing options. Mention this article and you will save $1,000 off of your first full month’s rent.
Please join us for the Glen Mills Senior Living’s upcoming events.
610-358-4900
