Getting older comes with plenty of challenges. There’s health problems that could arise, not being able to get around like you used to, and the possibility of becoming more and more forgetful. Some challenges that people often overlook when considering the challenges of elderly people would be the struggle of loneliness. There are plenty of seniors that have lost spouses and are now living alone in a quiet home. That may seem perfectly fine but loneliness can lead to depression and anxiety.
Social Engagement
In order to help our loved ones from this crippling loneliness they are going to need plenty of social engagement. Encouraging regular interactions with family, friends, and community members can help prevent feelings of isolation. Here in our facility, we have time for activities and places for socializing. Our residents are often gathered in the family room to sit and chat, or watch shows together. When they are not doing that they are eating meals with one another in the dining room or enjoying an activity. Our activities director provides things to do daily! Whether that is service projects for the community, outings, bingo, or a cooking demo, our residents are well entertained.
Emotional Support
Social engagement can go a long way. However, it’s also important for our seniors to have emotional support as well. They need people they can trust and rely on for emotional aspects of their lives. Growing old is hard. They need others to relate to or to talk to. Providing emotional support and understanding can help elderly individuals navigate life transitions and cope with stress or grief. The benefit of living here at Bel Aire is that the people that you are having all the fun activities with, as mentioned before, are also your neighbors and can quickly grow to become your friends. If the residents here aren’t quite enough, we also allow for visitors from early morning to late evening. We understand that family is a huge emotional support for our residents and highly encourage it.
Cognitive Stimulation
Another thing to also take into consideration when thinking of your loved ones mental health would be their cognitive stimulation. Engaging in activities that challenge the mind, such as puzzles, games, reading, or learning new skills, can help keep the brain active and promote mental health. One thing that our Bel Aire residents love to do to keep their mind sharp is our Dakim Brain Fitness computer games. Dakim transforms standardized neurological tests and exercises into richly produced, compelling and fun brain stimulating games in six cognitive domains that seniors love to play. Our residents love it and we can notice a difference in their cognitive abilities the more they play.
Lastly, for cognitive stimulation, would be to see if they need hearing aids. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “What do hearing aids have to do with cognitive stimulation?” Think about this; Your senior friend is sitting at home with bad hearing. He doesn’t go out much and not many people come to visit him. There is almost nothing to stimulate his brain. With hearing aids he is at least able to hear the TV and comprehend what is happening on it. He can hear sounds from outside and think of what is making those noises. Hearing makes a big difference in one’s cognitive abilities.
