Tips to help reach out
for connecting with our seniors
As human beings, we all thrive on social interaction and cooperation. We have evolved over millennia to understand and protect the people around us. This fact doesn’t change as we age and grow older.
Sadly, a study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that in the USA 40 percent of seniors will regularly experience loneliness. Chronic loneliness can reduce a person’s ability to connect with others on a deeper lever and create intense feelings of self-loathing and inadequacy.
The seniors within our society are unique sources of knowledge and vitality. They are also human beings who deserve to be loved and cared for. Here’s a look at some of the tips when it comes to connecting with the isolated seniors in your community.
A few tips
to get you started
Unfortunately, many people struggle to reach out to older people for a range of reasons. When they make the leap, though, they find it an enriching and rewarding experience. Here’s a look at some tips to remember when communicating with isolated seniors.
Sit face to face with the person
As social creatures, we have evolved to love conversation and social interaction. There’s no replacement for an authentic, face-to-face chat and our brains release a pleasant and steady flow of dopamine as a reward. Make eye contact with your conversation partner and they will be sure to feel the love.
Reduce sight and sound distractions
Modern life has the potential to be very noisy and distracting, which puts our brains into overdrive as they attempt to process the information around us. You should reduce the number of potential distractions to make sure your conversation partner remains engaged and enjoys the interaction.
Be patient
If a person goes for a long while without socializing, they’ll naturally struggle to enjoy a flowing conversation. Isolated seniors should be treated with patience – this means that they should not be rushed or interrupted while speaking.
These are just some of the tips that you should use when it comes to connecting with seniors who are isolated. We hope that these tips will help you to begin to connect with seniors who are feeling isolated.