Page 21 - Seniorstoday May 2024 Issue
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maintain their lifestyle, while caring for lot to seniors, because they can augment
one another. opportunities for seniors to have those
“The most important thing in a kinds of social connections. If you are in
community like this is having people a more cohesive neighbourhood, you will
around to support and engage you,” says more likely engage with others in your
Vonda. “Taking care of each other keeps neighbourhood, and that can bring great
you alive and healthy.” benefits socially and otherwise.
It turns out that Vonda and her friends
are on to something. Researchers have
long known about the health benefits of
“social capital”- the ties that build trust,
connection, and participation. But this
link may be particularly important for
seniors, precisely because both our health
and our social capital tend to decline as we Image courtesy: VolunteeringIndia
age. We retire from jobs, lose friends and
spouses to death and illness, and see family
members move out of the area - all of which
can sharply reduce daily social contacts
and stimulation, which in turn has a direct What can one do to increase social capital?
impact on mental and physical health. Creating a community like Vonda’s is ideal;
Fortunately, there are solutions: More and but many elderly cannot afford to move,
more studies are discovering how senior nor would they necessarily want to.
communities can be designed to maximise Seniors need to stay engaged with
sharing, friendship, health, and happiness their community and to continue to
in our later years. make positive contributions…this is
When you use your brain and body the invaluable. Volunteering has tremendous
way it was intended - as it evolved - you health benefits including its impact on
age better. We just are not meant to be increasing longevity, but it’s even more
disengaged from one another. powerful when your efforts give you a
Social activity is related to motor function, sense of purpose in life. People who have
just like physical exercise is related. We the strongest sense of purpose are much
cannot determine which is most important less likely to become depressed, have
- they each contribute a piece of the puzzle. neuroticism, or get Alzheimer’s, studies
Image courtesy: VolunteeringIndia.com lot to offer! You, for example, have a lot to
Communities high in social capital offer a show.
Seniors are generally seen as people who
need services instead of people who have a
offer. Get going!!
Vonda and her friends are adamant about
doing all they can to age not just gracefully,
old,” she says!
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #59 | MAY 2024 but with vitality. “I kind of refuse to grow 21
