An article (McKnight’s Long Term Newsletter) covered a report of a recent survey of over 18,500 individuals, aged 65 or older. According the report, those individuals who reported feeling socially isolated were “significantly more likely to be admitted to a hospital or emergency department in the future,” according to David Mosen, Ph.D., MPH of Kaiser Permanent Center for Health Research.
Other studies have found a similar correlation between social isolation, often experienced by seniors living alone, and emotional and physical health issues. This can be especially challenging for those living with dementia. Social isolation can fuel feelings of uncertainty and anxiety which can, in turn, impact cognition and memory.
Providing an environment that is specifically organized around individuals with memory loss and cognitive issues can provide the social interaction that is so important to physical and emotional health. Benefits can include the following:
At our Anthem Memory Care communities, we understand the devastating impact isolation has on individuals with dementia. We also understand how the pandemic has further complicated how families are able to interact with older loved ones.
That is why our programs include daily socialization for all our residents, all the while ensuring that our staff and residents are adhering to the CDC best practices, making it part of our daily mission to keep all our residents and staff safe and healthy. We know that finding ways, even during the pandemic, to connect our residents with staff and with their families, helps them live a more purposeful life.
If you have a loved one living with dementia who may be experiencing isolation it is so important to find ways to connect him/her to others. Please feel free to reach out to us and consider Anthem a resource for you during these challenging times. We’ll be happy to share with you all that we are doing to keep residents safe, yet connected to the world around them.
[The image above is of a rousing game of croquet, enjoyed by the residents and staff at Chelsea Place Memory Care in Aurora, Colorado.