When you think of your parents or grandparents, what are the first things that come to mind? It would not be uncommon to think of your mom hanging out with her best friends, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.
However, the reality is that over 28% of Baby Boomers, ages 65 and older, are living alone. While independence is nice at times, living alone can lead to senior isolation, which can affect both the physical and mental health of seniors. This isolation usually occurs for a senior after a spouse passes away, when a senior faces transportation challenges, or when a senior lives in a remote physical location, far from friends and loved ones.
While the connotation of being lonely might not seem harmful, the impact of senior loneliness can be extremely damaging to health, with effects that include:
- Increased risk of developing coronary disease and stroke
- Higher risk of developing depression
- Higher risk of disability onset
- Increased mortality by 26%
- Physical and cognitive impairment
In fact, the negative results of senior loneliness have been correlated to similar effects of a senior smoking 15 cigarettes per day. That would be the equivalent of smoking three-fourths of a pack of cigarettes each and every day!
One way to combat senior loneliness is to find ways to connect with seniors that are simple and effective. Seniors benefit from group physical activity classes, engaging dining opportunities with others, finding the proper caregivers, and integrating adaptive technology into routines.
The GrandPad senior tablet and warm customer service have both enriched the lives of many seniors who now feel more connected to their families, loved ones, and to activities they enjoy. GrandPad allows for seniors (especially those over 75) to see family and friends through videos and photos, as well as enables them to send messages via voice emails, using safe and secure technology. Additionally, GrandPad offers games, music (known to be therapeutic for seniors), and other entertainment. To learn more about this technology and combatting senior loneliness, visit: www.getgrandpad.com
