Contrary to the belief that older adults do not like to interact with younger people, many older adults want to do but do not know how to go about doing it. After all, for older adults, connecting with their younger generations can give their life meaning and enjoyment. If you know of an older adult that lives alone or with little company, then you may want to help them connect with the younger generation so that they won’t feel left out or lonely.
Why Seniors Should Connect with Younger People
When older adults connect with young people, they can learn from each other, hence resulting in a win-win situation. Apart from that, interaction with the younger generation can allow seniors to feel a greater sense of purpose, improved quality of life, increased companionship, a strengthened community, and most importantly, help to sharpen their memories and reduce the risk of developing memory-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Such conditions are irreversible and mostly require specialized memory care upon diagnosis.
On the other hand, exposing youth to the aging process will also help them to develop compassion and understanding for others.
Ways Seniors Can Connect with the Younger Generation
For older adults that happen to live with the younger generation, it is much more accessible for them to establish contact and spend time together to understand each other. However, this doesn’t mean that the same cannot be done for those that live by themselves. Avenues are always available for older adults to connect with the younger generation, including:
- Volunteering is one of the unique activities where participants (volunteers) come from different walks of life and consist of different age groups. As such, this makes volunteering activities a great place for older adults to connect with the younger generation. Older adults can choose to either contact a local school for opportunities or look for organizations in the area. Many preschools, libraries, religious programs, as well as non-profit organizations welcome older adults as volunteers.
- Sharing knowledge and information. In the later years of life, the most valuable thing a retiree can offer is the experience they possess. After all, the knowledge they have is gathered through hard-earned experiences. This may include information such as recipes, games, skills, advice of all sorts, and others alike. If there is no opportunity to do so physically, writing can be another good alternative.
Importance of Social Interaction
To summarize, apart from passing on knowledge to the next generation, communication with the younger generation help to keep older adults engaged and maintain a healthy level of social interaction.
Lead a Sociable Life at Rittenhouse Village At Portage
If you or your loved one faces difficulties in finding opportunities for socializing, then a senior living community may be a good option. Here at Rittenhouse Village At Portage, we have plenty of events and activities planned out in the Celebrations Activities & Events senior living program so residents can interact and enjoy their time with other like-minded people.
