I have written about potential factors in the isolation of older adults. Today, we are going to discuss the different ways that we can mitigate isolation in older adults as a community effort.
Quality Caregiving at Home and in Residential Facilities
Quality caregivers both at home and inside assisted living facilities can mitigate isolation in older adults in two ways. One way is by providing companionship to their clients. The other way is by facilitating their clients maintaining their own relationships with their loved ones. Being a full-time caregiver for a loved one can put strain on those relationships.
Volunteering With Older Adults
There are a lot of ways that we can build community with older adults through volunteering. The AARP has a great article about how you can get involved with helping older adults. You can volunteer in assisted living facilities directly, or you can volunteer in another area you are interested in. When I would volunteer, a lot of the time the other volunteers were older adults. By getting involved in your community, you can build friendships with older adults who are doing the same.
Advocating for Increased Accessibility
A lot of places are still not as accessible as they could be. The other actions I’ve written about today are individual actions. This one is much broader and really involves community effort. If older adults are more easily able to get out in their communities in areas that are compatible with their mobility aides, then that is a huge factor in combatting loneliness.
What are some ways you think we can mitigate loneliness in older adults? Leave a comment below.
Written by Brigid Stakelum
