Loneliness, isolation and confinement are not good for senior adults’ physical or mental health. Due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, however, that is exactly what many of us are experiencing.
An academic study reported on in the Journal of Aging Life Care found significant negative health consequences to older adults who live alone and feel isolated from friends and the community.
“The effect of social isolation on health appears to be of a similar magnitude to other risks to health, such as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity,” the report concluded.
With the coronavirus threat and many communities on lockdown, plenty of senior adults who might not normally consider themselves to be among the isolated and lonely are now. It’s a worldwide phenomenon, with the United States and Europe currently the hot spots.
In light of this, it’s important for us senior adults to be proactive about finding ways to maintain good physical and mental health during this unprecedented health crisis. Older people who don’t take this advice may find their physical and/or emotional health deteriorating. They may gain weight, lose muscle mass, weaken their heart and cardiovascular system, raise their blood pressure, or suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts. You don’t want to be one of them.
In this article, we will offer suggestions for helping seniors to not just cope but thrive during this unique time of home confinement.
Overcoming loneliness
In the study cited above, researchers found that even in normal times loneliness among the elderly contributes to declining health and a higher risk of early death. It referenced one study of older men that found older men who are socially isolated (no spouse and only a small circle of friends) experienced a 90 percent increased risk of cardiovascular death and more than double the risk of death from an accident or suicide. They also had double the risk of non-fatal stroke. Thankfully, society’s current reason for isolation is only temporary, but nevertheless we want to guard against the negative health effects that social isolation can bring, even in the short term.
While we may not be able to enjoy face-to-face contact or have guests in our home during this coronavirus pandemic, here are some suggestions for how to maintain social connections and overcome loneliness:
- Make a list of friends or family members you have meant to call in the past but didn’t have time. Make it a point to call one person on your list each day until you have checked off the entire list. Renewing old acquaintances and reminiscing about the past will add laughter to your day and help pass the time. You will also be adding a bright moment to someone else’s life, who is likely also isolated at home.
- Identify other seniors who are confined and alone, including widows and widowers, and call them to cheer them up. If you belong to a church, ask your ministerial staff or leadership team for names of people who would welcome a “how are you” phone call. Those of us who live in 55+ communities may also be able to make a list of the most-vulnerable neighbors who live alone or are in poor health. Most would welcome a short, upbeat and friendly phone call.
- Write handwritten notes and mail them to other seniors who are isolated, to your grandchildren, to younger people you know who are serving in the Armed Forces, and to people you know who work in healthcare and are under great stress. Handwritten notes can be very impactful on the recipients and will give you a real sense of satisfaction.
Leverage technology
During times like these, modern communication technology is a huge blessing. We now have easy-to-use electronic tools to stay in touch with friends and family that didn’t exist in times past. Can you imagine how much more isolated we would feel right now without cellphones, iPads and computers? Without Facebook and social media? During the Spanish flu in 1918, just a hundred years ago, they didn’t even have TV. No Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. They couldn’t pass the time binge watching new or classic TV shows.
Texting is one simple way to make conversation with others, and you will find that for many people, especially the younger generations, texting is more appreciated than a phone call. Beyond the usual forms of texting, Facebook Messenger is a popular format.
Video calls are so much more fun than a traditional audio-only phone call. It’s the next best thing to everyone being in the same room — and you won’t spread germs.
Doing video calls with friends and family is easy these days. You can do video chats through Facebook Messenger, Apple’s FaceTime, Google Hangouts. or Skype. A newer video format that is popular with businesses but can also be used by families is Zoom. It is good for getting larger groups together, like having a scheduled family chat with the children and grandchildren.
In our home, one of our favorite ways to stay connected is through Amazon’s Echo Show. This is a screen device (see photo) that works with Amazon’s popular Alexa service. It comes in different size screens and can be a nice companion to keep turned on all during the day to watch for time and weather, listen to news headlines, or enjoy your favorite music or podcasts. You can even watch TV shows and movies through Amazon’s Prime Video service. If both you and your children have Echo Show devices at home, all you need to do is say “Alexa, call Sally,” and it will ring the Echo device at her house. With Echo Show, you get video chats with no hassle; it’s voice activated. Google Home has a similar setup.
With video devices, be sure to turn off or close the camera when not making a video call. You don’t want to shock the kids.
The importance of exercise
Not getting enough exercise is a problem for many of us even in the best of times. Now, being confined at home just makes the situation worse. Without a plan, too many of us will take the easy route while at home and spend even more time sitting, watching TV, or glued to our cellphone, tablet, or computer screens. (You do, of course, still want to take time to go online and read This Retirement Life and follow our stories on Facebook, Twitter. and Pinterest.)(LOL).
It’s been well known for a long time that exercise has a powerful and favorable impact on health and aging. Dr. William Buchan, an 18th-century Scottish physician, wrote that “Of all the causes which conspire to render the life of a man short and miserable, none have greater influence than the want of proper exercise.”
“Of all the causes which conspire to render the life of a man short and miserable, none have greater influence than the want of proper exercise.”
A more recent scientific study reported on by the National Institutes of Health found that exercise can slow the aging process and keep seniors healthier into old age.
“Exercise … improves the health-related quality of life and functional capabilities while mitigating physiological changes and comorbidities associated with aging,” the study found. “The elderly community should be encouraged to engage in the continuous and regular practice of healthy physical activities. The motto is ‘Move for your life,’ and remember, exercise is medicine.”
Your opportunities for outdoor exercise may be restricted based on where you live and whether there is a shelter-in-place ban in effect in your city or state. We believe every senior who is able bodied should try to get fresh air and exercise each day, but if you do, be sure to practice good social distancing and avoid groups. Here are some outdoor activities to consider:
- Take a walk in your neighborhood. Even in areas with shelter-in-place restrictions, walking in your own neighborhood may be permissable. Avoid the temptation of stopping to talk at close quarters with neighbors, and do NOT go into a neighbor’s house. For more about the benefits of walking, see https://thisretirementlife.com/2019/01/07/its-time-to-start-walking/.
- Ride your bicycle in your neighborhood. This is a great solitary exercise that has many health benefits, both physical and mental. Be sure to wear a helmet and follow traffic laws. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to take your bike to a designated bike trail, but check first to make sure the trail is open. To learn more about bike riding for seniors and how to select an appropriate bike, read our blog story: https://thisretirementlife.com/2019/05/15/senior-friendly-bikes/.
- Take a hike. A hike in nature is not only good physical exercise but a great way to destress and get away from the city and from social media and TV. There’s something about being in the woods that is therapeutic. Some of you are fortunate enough to live in communities with trails you can access from home by foot. For the rest of us, be sure to check local restrictions and don’t venture out if your city or state is under a shelter-in-place ban.
If outdoor exercise is not feasible right now, come up with a plan for exercising at home. Dust off that exercise machine in your bedroom. Bring the hand weights in from the garage. Find that list of exercises your physical therapist said you should be doing every day. Put it on your calendar and do these exercises at the same time each day.
Want some suggestions for suitable exercises for seniors? See this story written by a physical therapist who deals with elderly patients: https://thisretirementlife.com/2019/03/08/7-functional-fitness-exercises-for-seniors/.
Are you the type who does better exercising with an instructor for motivation? If you don’t own any exercise DVDs, then find online exercise videos in places such as YouTube. You can also buy exercise DVDs and have them shipped to your home. Here are two articles that rate the best exercise DVDs for seniors: https://thegearhunt.com/best-exercise-videos-for-seniors-reviewed/ and https://www.livestrong.com/article/156398-the-best-exercise-dvds-for-seniors/.
If you belong to groups like Silver Sneakers through your Medicare Advantage or supplement provider, you have a wealth of at-home videos and other tools at your fingertips to help you stay engaged and healthy. Silver Sneakers has more than 200 videos on their website for everything from stretching exercises to yoga. Learn more about Silver Sneakers and competing exercise programs for seniors in a story we wrote earlier this year on This Retirement Life: https://thisretirementlife.com/2020/01/30/free-and-low-cost-exercise-plans-for-seniors/.
Find your passion
Many of us have something special we long to do but never have time. Well guess what? We have time now. Whether it’s art, sewing, crafts, home painting or renovation, restoring an old car or boat, or writing a book, now may be the time to get started. Maybe you want to make or build something special for the grandchildren. Now is a great time! Or perhaps you’ve longed to get more serious about your Bible study. Use this time to make it happen.
Remember that New Year’s resolution list? It’s still early in the year, so find that list and see if you can get back on track. This may be just the pause in your busy life you need to get better organized and do things you’ve always wanted to do.
The Chinese word for crisis consists of two symbols. One means danger and the other means opportunity. Let’s be proactive and use this crisis as an opportunity to reboot our lives and come out of it stronger, healthier, and more appreciative of what really counts most in life.
Be safe and stay healthy everyone. Pray for our nation and world at this difficult time.
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See these related stories from This Retirement Life:
5 Tasks Senior Adults Can Tackle During the COVID-19 Pandemic
How Seniors Are Using Their COVID-10 Downtime Productively
Coronavirus and the Volatile Stock Market: How Seniors Can Cope Through this Crisis
