Loneliness and isolation due to the coronavirus can have a negative impact on your health, experts say that’s why it’s more important than ever this holiday season to safely reach out to the seniors in your life.
Health experts say it’s more important than ever this holiday season to safely reach out to the seniors in your life.
Loneliness and isolation, the measures meant to protect seniors from COVID-19, are having a detrimental impact on their mental well being, which in turn can impact physical health.
“A good way to think of it is their reserve is simply less than it is in a younger, presumably healthier individual. And so they’re losing physical skills or losing cognitive skills, and it’s becoming more difficult for them to function on their own,” says Dr. Angela Catic of Baylor College of Medicine’s Huffington Center on Aging.
Catic says it is critical to check on elderly friends and family this holiday season.
Phone calls, window visits and delivered meals can all make a big difference.
“None of us want to be separated from our loved ones, especially the older adults in our life at the holidays. But I think we see light at the end of the tunnel. We really just have to get through this particular holiday season safely,” she adds.
Connecting with seniors not only offers a boost for their mental health, but also allows loved ones to assess their health --- especially if you can see warning signs like weight loss or lack of attention to personal grooming.
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