Isolation is a huge problem for seniors, and especially our clients. Let’s talk today about some factors in senior isolation, and later this week we will discuss some ways to combat isolation. I want to stress that these are all possible isolating factors, there are definitely people who experience these factors and are able to live full, social, and active lives.
Mobility Issues
A lot of older adults struggle with their mobility, and that can impact their ability to go out and socialize. This can sneak up on people because they lose their mobility gradually. They are not be used to using mobility aides, but they can no longer comfortably leave the house without pne. So, instead, they stay home, which isolates them physically.
Cognitive Decline
Even if a given older adult does not have any mobility limitations, if they suffer from cognitive decline, they may struggle socializing. Not only may they struggle being around new people, but they are not able to do the necessary steps to plan and execute an outing without assistance. And if they do not have that assistance, they will stay home. And that’s not even considering the fact that cognitive decline is isolation in and of itself.
Lack Regular Social Outings
There are many seniors who are able to maintain very active social lives. I’ve talked about how seniors can get involved in their communities before. The reason why I say that this can be a factor in isolating older adults is that during this phase of life, is that many seniors may have to be more intentional about engaging with their community than earlier in their lives. It may have been easier for them to get involved when they had opportunities to do so through their work or their kids’ schools.
In addition to these factors, seniors deal with other isolating factors like empty nesting. We may touch on these factors later in the week. We will also discuss ways that we can mitigate these factors and take care of the mental health of seniors.
