What can older adults do to overcome isolation during winter?

Lorraine Thomas loves her workout classes group lunches and Rummikub games at Star Harbor Senior Neighborhood Center The -year-old reported she shows up to the senior center as multiple as five days in a typical week For her the socialization and connection is a big part of what keeps her coming back They give us lunch she mentioned And also we get to talk to the other seniors that are here And after lunch we play Rummikub Lorraine lives alone She commented the exercises at Star Harbor particularly workout classes help her remain progressing and engaged especially during the wintertime If I were sitting home and doing nothing or even if I were just going shopping and doing things like that you have to have several sort of exercise she declared And so on Tuesdays I do chair yoga Experts agree that being connected to your group is crucial especially for older adults I think what happens when people cut themselves off from others is that they re less engaged with the world and with others disclosed Nancy Hodgson a professor in nursing at the University of Pennsylvania This can lead to both a decline in their cognitive engagement and they can also have loneliness which affects their mental healthcare and in later life it can also affect premature death Research backs this up According to evidence from the U S Surgeon General lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to cigarettes a day Additionally older adults experiencing chronic loneliness and social isolation are more likely to develop dementia For adults in general the likelihood of survival increases by when there are higher levels of social interaction People who experience social isolation and loneliness are more likely to have physical and mental issues later on this can include faster cognitive decline heart illness obesity and anxiety It can even cause physical pain There are a variety of reasons for the decline in social connection commented Katherine Cotter the associate director of research with the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project at UPenn And while the COVID- pandemic is often blamed for this it existed before This is not just specific to older adults but more generally we re all spending more hours kind of by ourselves she declared We re not engaging with our friends or members of our family as much as we have previously with things really dipping down around Hodgson noted there also may be a lack of motivation for older adults to go out and participate in engagements especially in winter There could be intrinsic factors like pain or depression as well as the extrinsic factors like ice and snow and hazards which are legitimate hazards that are real threats to fear and not wanting to pitfall injury With the cooler weather and fewer outdoor sessions available experts agree it is vital to remain engaged socially Billy Penn spoke to experts and offers these recommendations for older adults in Philly Library programs Hodgson explained an significant part of getting involved in the winter is remaining physically evolving if older adults are able to She revealed a multitude of physical activity programs are available through the library Experts are recommending indoor sessions that are physical in nature such as chair yoga tai chi or even stretching and you can do that in your home or even masses libraries are increasingly hosting she announced Various branches of The Free Library of Philadelphia host workout classes specifically for seniors including chair yoga senior strength training and tai chi Another offering that seniors may be interested in are arts-related classes Cotter disclosed When we engage with the arts we see that we feel more connected to others she declared We re able to meet people who have similar interests that we do because we re all there for the same activity A Claymobile event with Esperanza Physical condition Center in Hunting Park Photo by Isabella Kahn The Free Library branches also offer a variety of art classes with everything from Sewscials for those interested in socializing and sewing to crafting workshops and fiber art classes Beyond this numerous branches host information and listening sessions for older adults tool help classes with one-on-one appointments available and book clubs The Parkway Central Library also houses Central Senior Services a place where older adults can go to get information about materials programs and upcoming events Area agencies on aging Hodgson explained another central place for senior exercises and programs are city and regional agencies on aging or AAAs The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging has senior centers in the group At each center there are various offerings including meals volunteer opportunities fitness and strength programs art classes and gardening clubs Star Harbor Senior Neighborhood Center is one of those PCA centers Darlena Clarkson a campaign coordinator for Star Harbor commented that the events and events these centers provide are pivotal to the district I ve been in organizations where around September suicide is really prevalent and it s really sad because several people don t have families she mentioned But at present Lorraine tracked out here in the cold She was the first member here at present and I just really appreciate her and all that she does for the center because not just that we just give and love on them but they give back and love on us Clarkson explains she has seen members like Lorraine and other seniors get very close and benefit from the sessions provided here I ve tried to bring in vendors that give them information pertaining to their Medicare benefits about getting free wills and learning about estate planning she declared And we also get different students who come out to speak to our members Lorraine is one of those members who has her foot in a little bit of everything and I m glad because when that happens seniors come out more They hear they get socialization They become family Tuesdays and Thursdays We have a really tight group on Tuesdays and Thursdays Southwest Senior Center adults gather to do a great number of types of programs year round including pottery Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging The PCA is just one of the AAAs in the state There are also agencies specific to Bucks Montgomery Delaware and Chester counties Seniors can use the state s website to find more information about their local AAA including phone numbers and website information Other information Cotter reported that one of the the majority major parts of finding a winter activity that seniors can stick with is making sure it is personalized to them It s not that there s a key activity that will make you less lonely or that a certain activity will make you less isolated she noted But there s a real importance of a good person fit So finding an activity that s motivating and engaging for you and seeking those types of experiences out because if we re interested and motivated to do something it s also more likely we re going to continue doing that activity Hodgson emphasized there are a variety of initiatives throughout Philly for those of all ages ability levels and interests There s increasingly these dance programs and multiple older adults really enjoy dancing and gentle forms of dancing she reported Selected dance studios such as Society Hill Dance Academy offer senior-specific classes or programs Other workout studios including the Becoming Center in Philadelphia specialize in senior classes like tai chi and dance cardio Silver Sneakers a fitness initiative offered to seniors years old and older also offers in-person and virtual workout classes for seniors throughout the city There are plenty of non-physical engagements to choose from around the city as well Cotter announced It could be like getting out of the house and taking an arts class at one of the plenty of institutions around the city that offer those or going to a museum and taking a tour with other people Lillie Jones center who has been line dancing for years approaches front and center during Chiquita Smith s class at the MLK Older Adult Center Local organizations like the Philly Art Center Fleisher Art Memorial and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts offer art classes for all ages and ability levels all winter long In addition the City of Philadelphia offers various recreation programs for seniors including art programs vitality programs language classes creative writing groups and store counseling Hodgson explained these creative and artistic programs can be helpful to help with both socialization mental acuity and creativity Book clubs or knitting groups or wellness classes that are offered through public centers or libraries or senior centers are a great way for people to stay engaged during the winter months and then things like puzzles and board games or anything that keeps you cognitively engaged can also reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation while also keeping your memory engaged as well she stated The post What can older adults do to overcome isolation during winter appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY