One issue for seniors that many don’t think about is loneliness. All too often, it’s easy to picture an older adult who is ill and can’t get out of their home — but what about those who are still healthy but have no one to socialize with? It’s just as important for them to connect with others. And that’s where senior companion care may help.
What is Companion Care for Seniors?
As adults get older their circle of friends tends to thin and family members are busy with their own children and other responsibilities. Often, a senior’s spouse passes away, and that senior finds themselves living alone with no one around to help them enjoy life.
This is where a companion caregiver can help. A companion caregiver is someone that comes to the adult’s home and spends time with them. They may help them with projects around the house such as scrapbooking, gardening, or even organizing their bookshelves. They can also help remind them to take their medications.
In addition, a companion caregiver can take the senior to their favorite events outside the home. From shopping to lunch and even the theater, regardless of the activity the older adult used to enjoy but finds they can’t do alone, the caregiver can be their plus one.
What about Companion Care for Elderly in Assisted Living?
Companion care is also beneficial for older adults living in an assisted living facility or even a nursing home. Depending on the senior’s situation, a caregiver can help entertain them in the facility or even supervise them outside of the facility.
This is a great help for those seniors whose families live out of town and can’t visit on a regular basis. With companion care, you can be sure that your loved one receives the attention they need and remain safe regardless of where they are living.
What are the Advantages of Companion Care for Seniors?
A study in the Perspectives on Psychological Science journal found that one in five Americans suffers from what is knows as persistent loneliness. This can increase a person’s mortality risk by 29 to 32 percent. This loneliness issue is seen as the next big health crisis as more Americans age.
The study also showed that older adults that say they are isolated but feel happy are at the same increased risk of death that those seniors who report they are isolated and feel lonely. Companion care can help both groups of people become less isolated and live a fuller life.
Another study conducted by Chicago’s Rush University concluded that an active brain helps prevent memory loss and dementia. The study also showed that while strokes and Alzheimer’s were responsible for up to a third of older adult’s cognitive decline, another 10 percent was determined by their cognitive activity during their lifetime.
To put it simply, those older adults that remain mentally active, have less cognitive decline than those that don’t. By using the services of a companion caregiver, a senior adult can help fight off cognitive decline.
If you have an older loved one in your life that spends too much time alone, you might want to consider getting them a companion caregiver. You’ll find that your loved one will be happier and healthier for it.
