Social interaction and cognitive stimulation are far more intertwined than many people believe. They’re especially important for seniors to pay attention to in order to have a better overall quality of life and brain health. Keeping the brain stimulated is easier with the help of companion care at home and a plan for building the right activities into daily routines.
How Does Social Interaction Help the Brain?
Social interaction is not just enjoyable for aging adults, but it also helps the brain. Spending time with other people helps the brain exercise different cognitive functions like memory, attention, and language. Social interaction also helps seniors to express themselves more readily and use skills like compassion and empathy. Isolation and loneliness cause the brain to have more trouble functioning properly, but having companion caregivers around gives seniors someone to spend time talking to.
Interactive Activities for Cognitive Stimulation
Interactive activities can also help seniors with cognitive stimulation. These types of activities help people of all ages boost brain health. Playing games, working on puzzles, and other similar activities encourage critical thinking and decision-making. They can also challenge memory and keep seniors trying new things. Companion care at home can provide someone to play with and to engage in these activities with, which is helpful for seniors who live alone.
Collaborative Projects and Activities
Collaborative projects, like cooking with someone or gardening, can help to foster teamwork. These activities also stimulate different parts of the brain and offer various types of sensory stimulation at the same time. These activities could be ones that seniors do in their own homes or access outside of the home with transportation help from elder care services.
Reducing Depression and Anxiety
Seniors who spend time with other people are less likely to experience depression and anxiety. Social engagement alone doesn’t cure these issues, but it can help seniors to have what they need to cope with feelings that can lead to depression and anxiety. Companion care at home can be there on a schedule that works for seniors, so they get the exact amount of social interaction that works well for them.
Boosting Memory and Language Skills
Having someone to talk to allows seniors to keep their language skills sharp. When seniors don’t have someone to talk to, they gradually find it more difficult to maintain the skills related to conversing with other people. Conversations also require people to remember what has been said and what the topic is. More frequent conversations can keep stimulating the parts of the brain related to long- and short-term memory.
Coping with Life Changes
Life changes are complicated. Having someone to talk to when they’re going through some of these life changes can be incredibly helpful for seniors. Companion caregivers aren’t therapists, but they do offer a compassionate person for seniors to talk to. That’s an important thing for everyone to have.
Building connections with companion care at home does a lot to help seniors get not just the socialization they need, but also helps them to keep their brains strong and engaged.
If you or an aging loved one are considering companion care at home in St. Paul, MN and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
