Your parents may be healthy, but that doesn’t mean everything is fine. If you haven’t discussed senior care services, it’s the right time. Poor health isn’t the only reason a senior citizen needs the help of a senior care aide.
Isolation affects millions of senior citizens. Friends move to new states or countries after retirement. Co-workers keep working. Their new retirement lifestyle can also impact how often they leave the home. All of that can lead to loneliness and isolation and that can negatively impact their health.
Senior Care Huntington Beach CA – Five Startling Facts That Should Convince Your Family to Discuss Senior Care Services
Chronic Health Conditions Are Linked to Isolation
Chronic health conditions are diseases that are there a long time and typically have a slow progression. Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and high blood pressure are examples. Studies have shown that people who are socially isolated have a higher rate of being diagnosed with chronic health conditions.
Depression Rates Are Very High in Isolated Seniors
Loneliness and isolation increase the chances of becoming depressed. Some of this may be due to the link between isolation and insomnia. If your parent is exhausted, it’s easy to slip into a depression. It’s also simply that people who are isolated have no one to talk to and help vent some of the frustrations, sadness, and anxiety they feel..
Elder Abuse Rates Are Higher in Seniors Who Are Isolated
When a senior citizen is isolated, it’s easier for someone to abuse them financially. Many of today’s phone scams occur because the senior takes the time to talk to the person on the other end. The longer a scammer can keep a person on the phone, the higher the chances that the scammer will convince the person on the other end.
Family Caregivers Have an Increased Risk of Becoming Isolated
When you care for a parent, your odds of becoming isolated increase. Family caregiving takes up precious hours you could be using to spend time with friends. Family caregivers tend to leave jobs or reduce their hours in order to provide the necessary care. They also spend their vacation time and weekends providing care and ignoring friends and family.
Isolated Elderly Men and Women Have an Increased Risk of Death
Studies find that people who are isolated die sooner than those who remain very social and active in their communities. Some of this is due to the fact that those who are isolated tend to increase the risk of depression, chronic health conditions, and bad habits like drinking alcohol and eating frozen single-serving meals.
You can help your parent avoid feeling isolated by hiring senior care services. The caregivers that work with your mom or dad don’t have to do the cooking and cleaning if your parent isn’t ready for that level of care yet. Senior care services providers can simply offer companionship to make sure your parent doesn’t feel lonely or isolated. Call our senior care agency to discuss companionship services.
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6200202/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4694557/
