It's estimated that a fourth of adults over the age of sixty-five are considered socially isolated. Besides dramatically decreasing the quality of life of an individual, social isolation can also have a profound impact on an individual's health.
One solution to this problem is to find a good retirement community in Chippewa Falls, WI. These communities provide a unique environment that facilitates friendship and connection.
So what exactly are the social benefits that come with joining a retirement community? And how do you find the best one for your needs? In this guide, we'll answer these questions so you can decide for yourself whether or not it's worth it.
For all too many seniors, social circles tend to shrink as they get older. Friends and family begin to move away. Long-time companions sadly pass away.
Making new friends can often feel like a challenge for seniors. Many community institutions, like churches, often don't provide opportunities to meet new people.
Traveling to clubs can be stressful or not possible if the individual doesn't have transportation options. Retirement communities in Chippewa Falls provide valuable opportunities for seniors to meet like-minded people their age.
Life-long friendships often bloom in these conditions. And, it's quite common to see widows and single seniors dating. Having social connections to look forward to often makes the day worth embracing.
In addition to shrinking friend circles, many seniors also experience shrinking social calendars. In the past, work or families often kept many individuals busy.
But once retirement hits or families move away busy weekly schedules can become strangely open. While some people are fine with this, others have a lot of trouble adjusting to an empty social calendar outside of holidays and church services.
This can cause restlessness. At retirement communities, you'll never have to worry about not having something to do. Daily activities mean you always have something to look forward to.
What's more, various programs can help facilitate new hobbies and volunteer opportunities. All of this is great news for people craving more structure and senior social activities in their daily schedule.
When senior's children get caught up in the hustle of their daily lives, it's common for seniors to feel left behind. While things like church can provide some sense of community, many feel they're missing it in their daily lives.
This is one of the most valuable retirement living social perks: a sense of belonging to something bigger. People rely on each other in retirement communities.
When someone is experiencing hardships, whether that's grieving someone who passed away or dealing with a medical diagnosis, people are there to help.
Community engagement seniors provide the individual with someone to talk to. And, in addition to providing care, staff can often feel like family.
Most retirement communities will feature dining programs that offer restaurant-style dining in community spaces. In addition to providing delicious food, these dining spaces are valuable social environments.
Getting a bite to eat with someone can be a great way to get to know them more. Or, having a morning coffee ritual with a friend provides structure and balance at the start of the day.
As we touched on, being social as a senior can provide value to an individual's life. It improves the quality of their day-to-day living and makes them feel part of something bigger than themselves.
However, aside from these benefits, being social in your old age can have positive health effects. As this study notes, having a sense of strong social cohesion into your old age can lower the risk of:
So, not only does being social help seniors live longer, but active senior living in Chippewa Falls also improves the quality of their lives.
Just because retirement communities are good social environments doesn't mean that being social comes naturally to everyone. Some people are naturally introverts.
Or, they might feel out of practice when it comes to making new friends. It's important to remember that you can overcome these challenges when entering a new social environment.
The most important piece of advice we can give is to put yourself out there. This might be scary but it's a vital part of meeting new people. If the idea of approaching others feels too intimidating, take your time.
Attend community events and activities. Even if you don't interact with people, odds are that one day they will reach out to you.
Many people in retirement communities can be quite friendly and they want to meet new people. So don't feel discouraged if it takes you a little while to make friends and companions.
Many wonderful retirement communities in the Chippewa Falls area prioritize community and social activities. Unfortunately, not all of them fall into this category. Some Chippewa Falls elderly communities might offer scant social opportunities.
Or, the communities themselves might not feel very welcoming. So how do you avoid this? We recommend touring the assisted living community to get a better sense of its strengths and weaknesses.
During your tour, make sure you pay close attention to how things feel. Specifically, look at:
Don't be afraid to interact with the residents to see what they're like. We also recommend reading reviews or testimonials of the retirement community. This will give you a good picture of the residents' experiences.
We hope this guide helped you learn more about the social benefits that come when you join a retirement community in Chippewa Falls, WI. Here at LakeHouse Chippewa Falls, we've seen firsthand the power that comes to seniors when they join our social hub.
That's why we do everything in our power to facilitate connections, from frequent social events to community-style dining. So if you're ready to become a part of something bigger, schedule a tour of our community today.