The Role of Social Events in Independent Senior Living
From time to time, we all deal with loneliness. Various phases of our lives, such as shifting to a new place, friends moving away, or losing a loved one, may spark feelings of loss and isolation. Unfortunately, these feelings of loneliness may become chronic and pervasive for many senior adults with a limited social life.
Given the significant impact that social events have on a seniors’ quality of life, many independent living communities prioritize and invest in social activities. In this post, we’ll discuss the roles of these social events and how they can help seniors maintain a fulfilling, joyful lifestyle in their golden years.
The Role of Social Events in Independent Senior Living
No matter how old you are, social interactions and engagement are the core of a healthy lifestyle. The same remains true when it comes to senior living as well.
Most independent living senior communities offer built-in opportunities for social interaction, which can include:
- Restaurant-style dining
- Clubs
- Programs
- Classes
- Entertainment events
- Games
- Hobby groups
- Trips
- Sports
- Outdoor activities
- Shared living arrangements
Most of these social events in retirement communities are voluntary. So, you can choose activities to your liking, or even skip them altogether. That said, note that participating in these activities will play a significant role in enhancing the overall quality of life.
Improve Physical Health
As you get older, your fitness level deteriorates, mainly because you stop participating in physical activities like dance classes, yoga, weight lifting, and more. Independent living communities often organize various social, exercise-based activities that challenge your physical capabilities, ensuring you maintain mobility and balance and improve your overall fitness.
In the longer run, participating in physical activities, combined with social interactions, can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Mental Health Improvement
Many psychological studies have established that socialization plays a significant role in enhancing the mental health of senior adults. Also, participating in social activities like trivia encourages the elderly to stay mentally active and learn new things, which allows them to maintain mental acuity.
Recent research indicates that social disconnectedness causes some of the common mental health issues like stress and anxiety. Moreover, senior adults who reported self-perceived social isolation had a link to social disconnectedness.
Social events in retirement living communities offer massive opportunities for residents to interact and engage with one another over shared experiences. These little interactions can potentially reduce stress and anxiety and improve overall mental health if you are an active senior.
Emotional Health Improvement
A decline in emotional health is one of the common issues in older adults. According to the research of the National Institute of Health, 31.74% of senior adults, on average, have depression. Unfortunately, many senior adults struggle to recover from depression mainly because they stop living and enjoying life—they reminisce over old memories instead of creating new ones.
While seeing physical changes over time can feel challenging, it’s worth exploring the common myths about independent living communities and embracing every moment of life.
Independent living communities organize music festivals, movie nights, picnic trips, and many more exciting activities for you to attend and make worth remembering memories. Consequently, participating in fun and entertaining activities reduces symptoms of depression and fosters feelings of happiness.
Building Relationships
As a senior relocating to an independent living community, you may start to feel alienated. Mainly, that’s because you are moving into a whole new place, and there might be a huge social barrier in your way.
Fortunately, though, an independent living community organizes social events for residents to interact with each other and build new friendships and bonds. Having true friends goes a long way, especially for seniors living in independent living communities.
Looking For An Active Retirement Community? Asher Point Independent Living of Round Rock, Texas is Here To Assist!
Overall, many senior living communities organize social events for their residents to maintain their mental, emotional, and physical health. However, social events are usually optional, and some residents may choose not to attend despite their declining social life.
Therefore, if you are looking for an independent living community for yourself or your loved one, ensure it provides a supportive environment where the staff engages and interacts with residents.
Asher Point Independent Living of Round Rock, Texas, offers that support with a touch of a vibrant environment. We organize a variety of social events, ensuring there’s something for everyone regardless of their age, taste, and hobbies. If you want to learn more about our community, schedule a tour today!
