It’s common and understandable that once seniors hit retirement age, they want to slow down a little. After a lifetime of raising a family or working five days a week, some rest and relaxation is warranted.
However, the transition into this next phase of life can be quite difficult. By stopping completely, it may cause feelings of loneliness to become overpowering. Even physical health may also diminish.
By making sure to pair relaxation with maintaining and even forging new relationships, seniors can ensure that they remain both physically and mentally healthy. Helping ease the transition into this next stage of life.
Signs of loneliness
It’s often said that the key to healthy ageing is relationships. However, maintaining relationships in your senior years can be easier said than done. This is because, during retirement years, it can be easy to go into your shell.
While this isn’t necessarily harmful, overtime, reverting to a shelter can lead to loneliness. This emotional state has drastic effects on everything from mental health to even aspects of physical health.
With this in mind, it’s important to look out for common signs of loneliness such as:
- Changes in mood
- Adamantly rejecting offers of help
- Dwindling interactions with friends and family
- An evident lack of interest in maintaining elements of hygiene
- Refusal of basic care such as eating healthy foods and drinking regularly
- Cancelling appointments to meet with friends, the doctor or the hairdresser
How relationship building can help
An Australian Seniors survey looked into quality of life during retirement. When surveyed, respondents ranked good physical and mental health in their top 3 requirements for a quality life in retirement.
This highlights how important relationship building is to living a great life during retirement. Especially when you consider the myriad of physical and mental benefits associated with relationship building.
Improved mental health
For one, relationship building improves mental health. When individuals don’t go into work everyday, social interactions dwindle drastically. This leads to feelings of loneliness, isolation and low self esteem.
However, when socialisation is evident, mental health improves. By having friends, you always have someone to call in an emergency or when you’re feeling low. Reducing feelings of isolation.
Opportunities for interaction also help improve self-esteem. Friends laugh at jokes, share stories and just spend time together. This sense of belonging works wonders on self-esteem and self-worth.
Finally, friends have different likes and dislikes. In order to spend time with a friend, you might try something new such as hiking, gardening or maybe even knitting. Learning a new hobby helps keep the brain active and your memory sharp.
It’s also important to note that all types of social interaction can help improve brain function. When talking with old friends, you are using your memory to share stories. When meeting with new people, you have to interact which forces the brain to act quickly.
Improved physical health
Importantly, sustaining and building relationships helps to improve physical health. In fact, it’s been noted that adults with a social network are able to maintain a healthy body mass index due to going out more. This is because something as simple as going to the shops encourages walking and maintaining stamina.
Keeping physical activity levels high is important during senior years. This is because a lack of activity can cause everything from muscle and bone loss to fatigue and poor circulation. Therefore, it’s important to have friends who accompany you to go shopping or for a walk.
Further, socially connected adults will also have lower blood pressure. This is an important step towards achieving heart health. Something that is so vital to maintain as the years come and go.
Different activities to try
While the importance of relationships for seniors cannot be overestimated, maintaining and forging new relationships can seem overwhelming. In fact, most seniors may struggle to meet new people in their normal, day to day life.
This is where activities for seniors come in. By joining a singing group, knitting club or even game night, there are many opportunities to meet new people. As these kinds of clubs often take place weekly, it provides another source of constant interaction.
Church groups or even senior groups are also great activities to take place in. As well as meeting other people, these kinds of groups will help you enjoy a change of scenery. Giving you sacred time in a church or providing you with the opportunity to explore new locations.
Creating a social network as a senior
When retirement calls, it can be easy to retreat into your home. However, this has negative effects on both physical and mental health. Therefore, while it’s ok to spend some afternoons watching your favourite program, it’s important to remain active in the community too.
By maintaining friendships and even forging new relationships, seniors are broadening their social network. This ensures that there is always someone to call when you need a cup of sugar, a lift to the doctor or a sympathetic ear to talk to.
This kind of network means that there is always someone available to embark on activities with. This encourages movement which will ultimately benefit physical health. Highlighting the vast ways in which friends can help you live a healthier life in retirement and beyond.