Lonely old people: Understanding sadness and how to overcome it

Elderly people easily fall into a state of loneliness and feel isolated from society. This can have a serious impact on their mental and physical health. However, there are ways to help lonely elderly people overcome self-doubt and inferiority complex.

The most important thing is for young people to accompany their grandparents to overcome their lonely old age. To make grandparents feel that this life is still worth living with countless beautiful meanings.

Common reasons why elderly people are lonely

Aging brings about many changes that can make the lives of the elderly more lonely than ever. One of the biggest problems with seniors is that their social circles gradually narrow as the years go by.

• Research 2019 has shown that there are many lonely elderly people who feel socially isolated. It comes from not communicating with friends, neighbors or family members for a long time.
• In addition, according to another 2014 study , most of them feel isolated due to many reasons such as: they become weak, have difficulty walking, no longer have a “voice” in the family, retirement. Losing a loved one/friend, being dependent on a child, a relative/friend moving to another place to live…

Whatever the cause, the problem of the elderly is lonely, psychologically vulnerable. This can lead to depression in the elderly , causing them to severely deteriorate their mental as well as physical health.

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Consequences when the elderly are lonely, lack of attention from society

Loneliness in the elderly is a feeling of being alone, lacking in social connection, whether they have social interaction or not.

In addition, this has a level of risk on par with smoking, obesity and inactivity in seniors. According to a study published in 2007, loneliness among the elderly can increase the risk of dementia – Alzheimer’s by up to 50%.

In addition, lonely elderly people are more prone to depression, suicidal feelings and often four times the risk of death in patients with heart failure.

Loneliness is also said to be an “invisible culprit” that causes the elderly to experience chronic stress. According to a 2015 study , loneliness in the elderly also increases stress hormone levels and impairs immune response. Scientists will take blood samples from study participants to monitor the activity of genes involved in immunity and levels of the hormone norepinephrine .

Cole, a genomics researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that when an elderly person feels lonely, they often have significantly higher levels of circulating norepinephrine in the blood. That could explain all the other immune changes that occur as older people become less social.

How to help the elderly be optimistic, live a meaningful life

1. Invite friends to your house

If you feel frustrated and lonely when you reach the late afternoon, you can make plans to organize and meet up with old friends. Or simply invite your neighbors to your house for dinner, tea, and conversation. This would be an ideal time to help everyone reminisce about the old days. Lonely old age will no longer be a problem when people ask each other’s health status.

2. Learn to use up-to-date technology devices

To improve the situation of lonely elderly people, you should equip yourself with basic knowledge to use electronic devices.

If your friends and family live far away, the best way to stay in touch is through the use of cell phones or computers. If you do not know how to use it, you can ask your children and grandchildren to set up accounts on social networks to facilitate communication with each other.

Besides the above benefits, you will no longer feel lonely or depressed if you know how to surf the web to watch funny videos or listen to your favorite music…helps you to feel relaxed and nostalgic when remembering a past life. youth is over.

3. Participate in local activities for the elderly

Depending on the local area you live in, there will be many activities for seniors. You can join: singing club, plant trees, raise aquarium fish, draw pictures, read books, participate in religious activities, etc. Through these activities, it is very likely to help you. expand many other relationships by making friends, sharing experiences and interests with people of the same age.

The important thing is that you won’t feel like a lonely old person because you already belong to a certain group or social community. In addition, there are many people around your age who share the same passion and forte as you. Surely both sides will have many similarities to talk about!

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4. Learn many new things to overcome lonely old age

It’s never too late to start learning something new. Elderly people should try many new fields, unfinished things that you have not had the opportunity to explore when you were young. Specifically, you can take educational classes for the elderly. Not only will this make it easier for you to overcome loneliness, but it will also give you the knowledge to pursue your childhood passions.

5. Participate in brain/physical games for the elderly

Joining games can be a great way to connect with others. To dispel the feeling of lonely old people, games such as chess, puzzles or puzzles… will help you train your brain and strengthen relationships to be more sustainable.

Besides, participating in physical activities with peers will promote motivation and determination to practice long-term health. You will no longer feel depressed or lonely because you have to practice alone. Exercising with friends not only helps you improve your health significantly. At the same time, it helps to limit the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the elderly , but also expands close relationships with friends or colleagues for a long time.

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The role of relatives to help the lonely elderly

We can easily see the image of lonely old people, hanging around 4 walls in their own house. To prevent that from happening, you should improve this by:

• Visit often. To improve the mood of sadness and loneliness in the elderly, relatives should visit regularly. To help the elderly overcome the lonely old age, please bring more children and grandchildren to join in the fun. The full gathering of family members not only helps the elderly feel less lost. More positively, this is also a “golden” time for you to observe how their health situation is progressing.
• Pet. Having a pet will be an ideal psychological improvement “therapy” for the elderly. You can convince the parents to adopt dogs, cats, etc. to help them relax and feel less lonely when their pets “companion” in their old years. However, you should also pay attention to the need to rely on the health, personal financial situation and personality of the elderly before choosing any pet for them!

• Share and listen. Usually, lonely elderly people tend to be quiet and afraid to share with others. To get to the root of the problem, family members can make a difference by talking to them to support and boost their morale. Listening, providing emotional support, and offering honest advice can help older adults heal and heal their deep wounds.
• Psychotherapy and treatment. If the elderly have just experienced an event such as the loss of a spouse, you can seek professional help from physical therapy , or prescription medication from a psychiatrist if the situation is difficult. The condition persisted and showed no sign of remission.

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The loneliness of the elderly is often overlooked and taken for granted that any elderly person experiences. But if you know how to stay optimistic and create for yourself the simple joys in life, you will know how to easily overcome this loneliness. Descendants should be a firm “spiritual shoulder” for the elderly to rely on, helping them to partially ease their pain and loneliness in the “afternoon” age.