 | Shanna Parrish-Taylor is the Director of Nursing at Vintage Place Assisted Living. She is a RN with 9 years long term care experience, experience in critical care as well as hospice setting. Shanna is currently working on her master’s degree towards obtaining her ANRP. For more information on Shanna or Vintage Place please call 620-231-4554.
|
Senior Living
2011-05-01 11:25:00
Symptoms of loneliness – series part 2 (for part 1 of this series refer to the April ’11 issue)
Question: I am my mother’s only living relative and only support. Since I work, the time I have with her is limited and she is starting to get depressed and lonely. Do you have any ideas how I can help her?
Answer: One of the best ways to combat loneliness in seniors is by getting out and helping others. In fact, volunteering has many surprising advantages that can help your mother in her overall health and well being. Here are just a few:
•Provides additional exercise
•Expands social networks
•Shifts focus to positive thoughts
•Provides worthwhile and valued
service
•Aids in feeling useful to society
•Provides something for which to
look forward
•Fulfills needs within the
community
Over the past two decades, growing body of research that indicates volunteering provides individual health benefits in addition to social benefits. Studies show it benefits health in these ways:
•Improves and maintains mobility
•Fights depression
•Boosts immunity
•Lower rates of mortality
While you did not mention if your mother was mobile, there are likely many opportunities right at her footstep. Here are a few suggestions and areas of opportunity you might want to help her pursue:
•Libraries
•Thrift Stores
•Literacy programs
•Mentoring/Tutoring
•Living History
•Classroom Aid for the Disabled
•Support for Military Personnel
•Outreach for Homebound Adults
The local senior center or library will also have information for those wishing to share their talents. Volunteering will not only allow your mother the platform to share her talents, it will give her a new group of friends and interesting activities that will fight off feelings of depression and loneliness.
