Lonely elderly people: how to help them maintain their interest in life
Old age is inevitable, and loneliness in old age is very difficult. But, unfortunately, lonely elderly people are a common thing in our society. Why pensioners are often left alone with their problems How can you help elderly people Let's try to understand and find these questions?
Lonely elderly people in the 21st century
From early childhood, we join the society - we make friends on playgrounds and at school. In adulthood, we create families, and get to know people at work - we do our best to have relatives and friends around us. However, with age, contact with friends is lost, and children and grandchildren grow up. And after retirement, elderly people living alone are left completely alone with their problems and a lot of free time.
Loneliness is a socio-psychological state characterized by a decrease or complete absence of relationships-emotional, professional, social, and others. The unit can be partial (elderly unit) or complete.
Lonely elderly people fall into the "risk group" - if their health deteriorates sharply or disability appears, they will have no one to rely on. There will be no one to help them with groceries, medicines, cleaning the apartment, or washing clothes.
elderly people's Problems with loneliness
Lonely elderly people who need help usually come to this state gradually. What is the reason for their loneliness?
The circle of interests was reduced, and there were fewer hobbies.
While a person is young and full of energy, he is sociable, easily finds new friends, shows interest in various experiments, and does not have any prejudices. With age, old people themselves narrow the range of their interests and practically do not make new acquaintances. Their craving for new knowledge weakens, and interest in any profession disappears.
The character has changed.
Lonely pensioners often have a difficult character. Indeed, with age, their negative qualities begin to manifest themselves, and a person becomes obsessive, arrogant, angry, suspicious, and extremely nervous. These personality traits lead to a decrease in the social circle.
Relations in the family are deteriorating.
Pensioners lose contact not only with friends but also with relatives. There are extreme situations when old people suddenly begin to hate one of the family members and, on the contrary, begin to glorify the other.
The circle of friends is shrinking.
Older people face situations when their friends and acquaintances die. In old age, it is difficult to make new friends, therefore, having lost loved ones, the pensioner remains lonely.
Labor activity ends.
Adults spend most of their time at work. It is communication in a team that supports a person - at work, we share news, impressions of events, and plans with colleagues, and celebrate holidays together. Retirement for many older people becomes a cause of loneliness - the social circle decreases sharply, which makes the pensioner feel unnecessary to society.
Focus on the problems.
Older people, communicating with each other, tend to discuss the negative aspects of life - socio-political problems, illnesses, etc. Older people constantly complain, which also does not contribute to an increase in the number of interlocutors.
The state of Health is deteriorating.
Aging, a person begins to face various diseases. There are problems with attention, memory, and reaction speed. Diseases such as senile dementia, pick disease, Alzheimer's, etc. often develop, and it is not easy for others to remain constant interlocutors for a person whose psyche is experiencing a disorder. In addition, elderly people in their declining years suffer from a lot of chronic diseases, and they often have to cope with them on their own.
What to do as a lonely elderly person: 6 steps to a fulfilling life
Working with lonely elderly people is based on the observance of several principles that help older people maintain their interest in life and social activity. After all, everyone can help themselves cope with loneliness. What should be done about this
1. Stay active.
Activity can help you cope with loneliness. The only elderly people in our country stay at home all day, and at most go to the pharmacy or store. This behavior leads to the fact that the pensioner becomes lethargic, passive, and does not care about anything. That is why it is necessary to maintain interest in life, be active, and show initiative in communication. For example, going to classes and clubs where lonely old people gather and communicate with each other, and have a great time.
2. Be creative.
We are talking about any activity that arouses interest in an elderly person, helps him to realize himself in Old Age, gives positive emotions, and relieves boredom.
Of course, you can embroider, knit, draw or sculpt from clay at home, but it is much more productive and interesting to do this in a team of the same pensioners.
When choosing an activity to your liking, first of all, try to remember - what did you want to do in your youth, but you didn't have enough time Most of us have unfulfilled desires. Someone dreams of Landscape Design, and someone dreams of photographing the world around them. Retirement is a great opportunity to remember your youth and find a hobby.
3. Develop intelligence.
When a person's mind loses its sharpness, it becomes more difficult to communicate with people. Indeed, it is interesting to have a conversation with a person who can express his thoughts and share something interesting. That is why it is so important to maintain intelligence in old age.
A simple exercise for the mind will help to cope with the task. You can memorize poems, solve crossword puzzles, logical puzzles, etc. Thanks to these simple actions, you can maintain clarity of mind even in old age. Scientists are an excellent example - they actively think until their advanced years, and among them, there are much fewer elderly people with mental disorders.
4. Work on the character.
It is very difficult to be near a pensioner who constantly grumbles and expresses dissatisfaction. So older people need to control their character and stop being:
- Boring؛
- Grouchy؛
- Greedy؛
- Irritable and irritable
- Selfish؛
- With bitterness.
5. Be optimistic.
An optimistic outlook is helpful in any circumstance. It is very easy to become a pessimist, but such behavior alienates others. You need to learn to see the good in every situation.
6. Love Yourself.
A person is so ordered that he is attracted to cheerful and self-confident people. They love themselves, and this is their whole secret. In old age, pensioners often forget that they are individuals with their own worldviews, mood, and needs. Older people should not sacrifice themselves for the sake of their children or grandchildren. It is important to pamper yourself, and take time for yourself. After all, in fact, youth is not age, but a state of mind. Being an active person with a pleasant character, you can quickly surround yourself with interesting people and get rid of loneliness.
What help do lonely elderly people need?
Social services for lonely elderly people are an urgent need. Unfortunately, helping the elderly is not a popular area for charity. We often forget about our elderly relatives, remembering them on the eve of the holidays, and then again plunge into the daily routine, where there is no place for them.
Indeed, despite the small pension and the financial difficulties associated with it, older people do need not so many gifts as attention.
For elderly people, this is especially crucial.
who cannot take care of themselves - disabled or bedridden patients.
Caring for lonely elderly people begins with determining their needs - for some, it is enough to go to the grocery store, for others it is necessary to clean the apartment. For us, these are elementary tasks, but for a lonely elderly person - back-breaking work. It is especially important to provide the elderly with timely medical care. Some elderly people cannot do without accompanying them on a walk - this is great support for them.
Another important type of assistance for single pensioners is entertainment. Older people have nothing to fill their free time with, they need interlocutors, hobbies, and elementary attention - it can restore their interest in life.