As seniors age, social isolation can become a significant issue. Seniors may leave their homes less often, and mobility issues may affect how much your parent can get out to social or even family events. Social isolation brings challenges, contributing to depression and causing loneliness. But you can help to decrease social isolation for your parent or loved one.

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Four Ways You Can Decrease Social Isolation for Seniors

Consider these four tips to help decrease the amount of time that your parent spends alone each day.

Encourage Seniors to Get Involved

Encouraging a senior to get involved in social activities can help to decrease their isolation. Groups and activities that take place outside the home can give a senior change of scenery and the chance to make new friends. Groups and structured activities can be great because they take place at a specified date and time. This can be a motivating factor and may help to encourage seniors to make the effort to leave the house.

If you’re looking for local activities that your parent can get involved in, your count’s Council on Aging can be a great resource. Doctor’s offices and recreation centers may also have a list of groups and activities available.

Take Your Parent Out on Day Trips

Taking your parent out on day trips can help with socialization while also preventing boredom. Work with your parent to come up with a list of potential trips that they would like to take. It may be as simple as going out for a meal, going to see a favorite park, or taking a day to visit some friends and family. These trips can also give you an opportunity to check in with your parent to see how he or she is doing.

Work with Family to Schedule Plenty of Visitors

If a senior can no longer leave the house easily or comfortably, then you may need to bring socialization opportunities to them. Network with your family members to schedule visitors. If you have multiple family members in the area, communicate about your schedules and see if you can arrange things so that your parent has multiple visitors to look forward to each week.

Consider Companion Care

Companion care is an excellent way to decrease a senior’s isolation when friends and family can’t be around. Cahoon Care offers companion care services ranging from just 4 hours a week to 24 hours a day. Our excellent caregivers are happy to read books, do crosswords, cook, bring your parent to appointments or social events, and much more.

Your Next Steps to Decreasing Social Isolation in Seniors

You may want to implement one or more of the ideas above to help provide plenty of social interaction for your parent. If you’d like to explore the option of companion care for your loved one, please contact Cahoon Care today. We’d be happy to learn about your loved one and how we can help.

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