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Loneliness is a serious concern for older individuals. It can affect their mood, stress levels, and sense of security, and it can have physical ramifications as well, weakening the immune system and increasing the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Whether you provide regular senior care to a parent or you live far away and only see them from time to time, there are ways to help them feel less lonely.

How to Ease an Aging Parent's Loneliness

1. Stay in Touch

Regardless of age, people thrive when they are connected with others. Maintain frequent contact with your parent as much as possible. Schedule regular phone calls so they have something to look forward to.

If you live nearby, drop in for routine visits. If you don't live close by and your parent is comfortable with technology, introduce them to a videoconferencing app, like FaceTime® or Zoom®, to enjoy face-to-face communication. Any of these steps will remind your parent that they are not alone in the world and they have a family who loves them.

2. Take Up a New Hobby Together

senior careA new hobby can give a senior a newfound sense of purpose as they fill the lonely hours in their daily schedule. To make it even more engaging, take up this new hobby with them; this way, you can discuss the joys and challenges of learning something new. Suggestions for hobbies to explore include crocheting, knitting, drawing, painting, or a book club for the two of you.

3. Encourage Activity

You can't be with your aging parent all the time, so it's important to encourage them to take part in activities on their own. Look into the activity schedules offered at local senior care centers or at the assisted living or personal care home where your parent resides and urge your parent to sign up for a program, class, or outing.

Suggest to your parent that they meet their neighbors or other seniors who live in the area. Give them options; they may not know where to look to make the new connections that will dispel their loneliness.

 

Senior care facilities offer activities designed to combat loneliness for aging residents. Kingsford of Warner Robins has locations in Warner Robins, Cochran, and Hawkinsville, GA. Their senior care providers treat each and every resident like a member of the family, and your aging parent will thrive in a safe, comfortable, and homelike community. Call (478) 953-7022 (Warner Robins), (478) 934-9266 (Cochran), (478) 783-2717 (Hawkinsville) or visit them online for more information.

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