Aging is an unpleasant and harsh reality of life. Nobody likes the prospect of aging, but it’s a truth that all of us get older with time. We often don’t even pay attention to it, because modern lifestyle has given us plenty of reasons to stay busy. So we continue to get older, often without even realizing it.
However, the going gets tougher when we get into the zone of senior citizens. Because with that zone of age comes a life which gets less social and more lonely with time. Nobody wants it, but the fact is that a large number of adults live the life of loneliness in their old age.
A number of factors contribute towards the increase of loneliness in old age. They include:
- Death of friends and acquaintances
- Low mobility due to diseases
- Shifting to another place of residence for living with children
- And so on
The net result of all these things is that many adults live a life of loneliness. And in some cases, this loneliness also leads to the serious state of depression.
If a senior citizen is living a socially isolated life and he/she doesn’t get the required affection from relatives and family members too, then there’s a good chance of that person running into the state of depression. The risk of depression in old age also increases if someone’s parents had the problem, because research suggests that 40% of depression tends to be genetic.
So what can one do to avoid being lonely in the old age? Well, there’re a few things:
Find some hobbies: Everyone has got a few activities that he/she loves doing. You too have yours. If you don’t know about yours, find out. Some people love cooking, some love painting, some enjoy listening music and some others love reading books/magazines on any particular topic. Find out your favorite hobbies to give you some quality time.
Make friends: Find out some places in your area where other people of your age get together. Many cities events meant for senior citizens.
In some areas you can also find people of your age in parks during a morning walk. And there’re also some assisted living centers (i.e. Brookdale House Living Facility in Abbotsford) in many cities where elder people are provided the chance of living a great life.
Give a chance to all such places where you can find old people, and when you find some good people of your age, get to know them by visiting them on their homes and calling them to your homes. Friendship can turn out to be a great weapon for cutting down loneliness.
Do some good work: There’re many good things that you can do when you’re old. For example, you can teach kids at your nearby orphanage, in a school or at your home.
You can also help other people in need of advice, knowledge or any other resources that you have. Doing such good things not only feels good but also makes this society a better place for all. Plus, you also get to do something constructive with your time.
Find a part time job: If your health allows you, find a nearby part time job that you can do. That is also a good way to utilize your extra time in doing something constructive. Plus, a new job can also help a lot in improving your social circle.
These small steps can take you a long way when it comes to improving your social life in old age. They can reduce your loneliness to a large extent, and keep you from going into the state of depression. Apply the ones which seem suitable to you.
