The Vital Role of Social Interaction in an Assisted Care Community

Humans have a natural drive to socialize. However, with age, health circumstances change, we lose close family members over time, or some events occur, leaving them feeling isolated and lonely. 

Imagine your children move to a different state and now they rarely visit you, or your decades-old neighbors sell their house and move away, leaving your social circle shrunk. Events like these often force seniors into self-isolation, losing their motivation to socialize again. 

However, assisted living communities don’t give up on senior residents that easily. They go above and beyond to make socializing smooth and natural because social interaction plays a key role in promoting a happy and healthy lifestyle. 

The Role of Social Interaction for Seniors in an Assisted Care Community

Better Physical Health

Exercising should be part of your routine whether you are young or senior. But we understand it’s not easy to find motivation to keep yourself active, especially when you don’t have many friends around to encourage you. 

Social interaction or having friends can motivate you to exercise regularly and maintain your physical health. We can all unanimously agree that exercising is more fun when you do it with your friends. Right? Imagine walking through beautiful trails with your friends, talking about life. Will you not look forward to these walks every day? The study says exercising with friends or in a group has better results on your physical health. 

In an assisted care community, you’ll have ample opportunities to socially interact with people who are in the same phase of life with similar challenges as you. You can motivate each other to become physically active.

Improving Mental and Emotional Well-being 

Maintaining your social health is arguably one of the most challenging parts of aging. There are so many factors that come into play, such as your current health circumstances, limited mobility, or seeing your close friends and family move away. 

Unfortunately, it’s not easy for older adults to go out and meet new people like they used to when they were young. The constant isolation and a feeling of loneliness harbor stress, anxiety, and even chronic depression. 

Fortunately, seniors in an assisted care community can socially interact with their peers and prevent mental health issues like anxiety and depression. These interactions can turn strangers into best friends, offering emotional support when needed. Moreover, it will give you a purpose and motivation to make new memories instead of reminiscing about the past.

Better Cognitive Function

Social interaction is not only good for your mental and physical health, but it is also great for your cognitive functions. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, seniors who lack social interaction have a 60% chance of developing memory-related issues like Alzheimer’s or dementia. 

Social interaction encourages thinking, learning, and keeping the brain active, which helps improve memory retention and protect the brain from degenerative diseases.

How Assisted Living Communities Foster Social Connections

Organize Social Events and Activities 

Assisted living communities understand that social interaction is essential for your overall well-being, so they offer full social calendars to residents. These communities have dedicated teams that plan dozens of monthly events and activities tailored to various interests and hobbies, ensuring something interesting is going on for every resident. 

By participating in these social events, you can find like-minded people with the same interests as you, with whom you can bond over shared interests and experiences. For example, if you love music, you will meet people with the same interests as you at a music event organized by your assisted care community.

Encourage Social Clubs and Interest Groups

Social groups and clubs are common in assisted living communities. Clubs, like the Garden Club and Men’s Club, play a significant role in helping seniors fight the isolation and loneliness that often accompany them in old age. 

As a senior in an assisted living community, you can sign up for clubs of your interest and instantly find peers with the same interests. This will help you exchange ideas and engage in conversations that will go beyond “How are you?” questions.

Dedicated Communal or Social Spaces 

Last but not least, assisted living communities have dedicated social spaces like activity rooms and dining areas where you can interact and socialize with your resident friends. From chatting over a hearty meal to enjoying a game of cards, you can have face-to-face interactions and say goodbye to loneliness and isolation.

Looking for a Vibrant Senior Living Community for Your Golden Years? Visit Bailey Pointe Assisted Living at Miracle Hills Today

With that said, social interaction is important in all aspects of health, whether physical or mental. Bailey Pointe Assisted Living at Miracle Hills provides countless socializing opportunities to our residents, ensuring they live an exciting retirement life far from the stress and worries of day-to-day living responsibilities. Still wondering if Bailey Pointe is the right place you can call home? Schedule a tour to learn more about our offerings.