We speak often with family caregivers and are always moved by their loving dedication to providing quality care for their loved ones with dementia. These amazing individuals are selfless in their support, spending hours day in and day out to ensure that their loved one has what they need at any given moment.
For many families, the goal is to keep mom or dad in their own home as long as possible.
This is certainly an understandable goal. Being in a familiar environment is comforting and makes their loved one feel safe and secure. Often, the family will pool their resources to provide a certified home care worker to visit and make sure that their loved one is eating properly, their house is clean, and that they are taking their medications as prescribed.
However, in their efforts to maintain this familiar environment for their loved one struggling with cognitive issues, families may overlook providing something that is absolutely critical to an individual with dementia. That is, the benefits of daily socialization, achieved by building relationships with people and engaging with them every day.
For a loved one with dementia, the risks associated with isolation is very real.
The National Institutes of Health cites studies which have identified “an association between loneliness, social isolation, and reduced cognitive function, in older adults, across multiple cognitive domains, as well as a heightened risk of dementia.”
This is an important finding which families need to take into account as they strive to provide the best possible care for their loved one with dementia.
Here are three serious issues arising from isolation taken from resources, including our own:
Perspectives on Psychological Science cites a study on social isolation which found that it increases the risk of dementia by 50% and can shorten a person's life span by up to 15 years. It can also lead to other serious health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and stroke. The same study found that the health risk associated with social isolation can be the equivalent of smoking fifteen cigarettes per day.
Social isolation can contribute to poorer cognitive function and decline in the ability to perform everyday tasks. According to another study cited by the National Institutes of Health, isolation can lead to “changes to underlying neural biomechanisms including cortisol secretion and brain volume alterations (e.g., white/grey matter, hippocampus) may contribute to these relationships.”
The National Institute on Aging has cited studies showing that social isolation leads to loneliness which can detach an individual in ways that impact wellbeing and can lead to depression.
Families must weigh the benefits of staying at home against the health risks of isolation.
Understanding the risks associated with isolation and the benefits of socialization is a key touchpoint for families seeking ways to provide safe and supportive social interactions for a loved one with dementia.
If you are a family caregiver of a loved one with dementia, seek opportunities to engage them with relatives and friends on a daily basis if possible. Of course, you must be careful not to overstimulate them and to adhere to a schedule that takes advantage of the best time of day for these interactions.
As the dementia progresses, family efforts may no longer be sufficient.
At some point, however, regardless of how diligently you work to optimize your loved one’s environment, there may come a time when their needs are best served by a transition into a memory care community. This will give them round the clock safety and security in a person-centered environment where social interaction is achieved every day.
Optimizing opportunities for socialization is an important cornerstone of our Anthem Memory Care community life engagement team. We welcome you to reach out to any of our Anthem Memory Care communities. Many of us have been family caregivers ourselves and will be happy to listen to your concerns and answer your questions. We can provide your family with tools and resources to assist you in caring for your loved one, well before you are ready to make long-term decisions. We are here to help!