For seniors, few things are as beneficial as enjoying time with their loved ones. Though your elderly parents are with professional caregivers, they still desire regular visitation of their children. Regular visits from family members can positively impact both their mental health and physical well-being. People who are isolated socially tend to lose their cognitive abilities more quickly and are more prone to developing health problems. They even experience a higher rate of mortality. Visiting your senior relatives can also benefit you. Spending time with loved ones and enjoying each other’s company is one of the best activities in the world.
Time with family is especially beneficial during the holiday season. The happiness that comes from being surrounded by loved ones is good for the young and old alike.
Over the years, researchers have conducted numerous studies showing how being isolated or lonely can negatively impact seniors. When elderly people don’t see their loved ones as frequently as they should, they can experience an overall decline in their health, issues with their memory, joint pain, and conditions like depression. The rate of mortality also increases. While loneliness and isolation can impact everyone to some extent, regardless of their age, these problems are particularly detrimental to seniors.
Keep reading for helpful information on how to keep the people you care about happy and healthy longer through regular visits.
Six Ways Spending Time With Elderly People Can Benefit Their Health And Well-Being
Frequent visits can make a world of difference for seniors, both in terms of helping them maintain their mental faculties and preventing health-related issues.
Socializing with others can help seniors feel happier, keeping them more energetic and youthful. Here are six benefits associated with regular visits:
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Elder abuse is less likely to occur when people have regular visitors.
Visiting someone who lives alone gives you a chance to see how they are doing in terms of their ability to get around, their overall level of health, and their cognitive abilities. Visiting seniors with home health care or who are in assisted living facilities provides a chance to ensure that they are being treated well by their caretakers. Familiarizing yourself with signs of elder abuse before your visits can help you spot any issues early so they can be stopped before they get out of hand.
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Visiting allows you to make sure your loved one is okay.
One of the most compelling reasons to regularly visit the people you care about is because it gives you a chance to make sure they are doing okay. How are they handling any health problems? Are they keeping up with things like cleaning the house, managing their finances, and taking their medicine? Are they eating a healthy diet and getting exercise? For more tips on keeping seniors safe and healthy, check out the “Senior Safety and Well-Being Checklist ” we put together.
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Seeing people they care about helps seniors maintain a healthier emotional state.
Visiting an aging loved one provides a chance to reminisce about some of your fondest memories. Sometimes, visits like these aren’t easy – particularly if your loved one is going through a hard time after the loss of a spouse. From their perspective, however, seeing someone that they care about can make a big difference in how lonely they feel. As a result, they are less likely to experience problems like depression.
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Visiting elderly loved ones provides an opportunity to learn.
Talking about the past with someone who lived through it can give you a unique perspective on your family and community history. Going through photos in old scrapbooks can be a lot of fun. This is a great activity to do with seniors who are dealing with dementia. Most dementia patients experience their greatest levels of happiness when they are reminiscing. Activities like these provide the perfect opportunity to learn from their life experiences. Elderly care is not just about meeting physical needs, but about fostering dignity, respect, and quality of life in every interaction.
The act of visiting in and of itself will also help you create memories. As a family, you can look back on the time you spent with your loved one fondly, remembering your good visits. Whether you visit as a family or on an individual basis, these types of memories can be a real comfort in the future.
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Visiting seniors lets them know that they are loved.
Nothing reminds someone how much you love them more than taking time out of your schedule to visit them. Even if you can’t be around all the time, making time for visits is important. Seeing people they care about lets them know that they are loved and aren’t forgotten.
People feel the most connected when they physically spend time with one another. This is as true for seniors as it is for anyone else. Being there with them can make them feel much happier and can be extremely rewarding for you both.
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Visiting seniors can rekindle happy memories from the past.
During your visits, you can talk about the happy times you spent together in the past. Whether you are watching home videos, going through photo albums, or simply talking about the times that you spent together, these trips down memory lane can be beneficial for both you and your loved one. People who are suffering from memory problems or dementia, in particular, can benefit greatly from activities like these.
Additional Suggestions
Even if you can’t visit in person, you can let the people you care about know that you are thinking of them in other ways. Try using some of these ideas to connect:
- Send a greeting card
- Write an email if they have a way to read it
- Write a handwritten letter and send it through the mail
- Mail photographs
- Put together a care package with the things they love the most.
- Pick up the phone and give them a call.
It boils down to the fact that seniors are happiest when they are surrounded by the people they care about. Visiting them regularly can do wonders for their happiness and health. You don’t have to spend a lot of time to have a real impact. Short visits are equally as effective. Even though life is busy, it is worth a little time to connect with your loved ones. That way, you won’t have any regrets.