Ways to Help your Parents Make New Friends and Maintain Friendships
On Monday, we opened our series on making new friends as we age, outlining why we lose friends, and the importance of making new friendships in order to ensure better mental/physical health and overall well being.
As your parent ages, you might begin to notice that their close group of friends is becoming smaller and smaller, yet your parent may not feel ready to branch out and meet others. As a result, they may begin to feel alone and perhaps experience elderly depression or possibly a decline in health.
So to help, we’re going to discuss a few ways you can take initiative and help your parent maintain the friendships they already have and perhaps make new friends as well. Take a look below:
Take your aging loved one out of the house
Helping your aging love one get out of the house is one of the best ways to introduce them to others, as well as keep them in contact with their friends. Show them your support by offering to take them out to lunch, the library, or possible senior community events where they can meet with old friends and possibly make new ones. This is also a great opportunity to grow closer to your loved one and solidify your relationship, something that many parents would love.
Use technology to communicate
In this day and age, technology has given us more opportunities to communicate instantly with others with the just the click of a mouse and keyboard. Take a moment to help your parent learn a few simple tricks that will allow them to use the computer to communicate with others. These include:
- Email pen pals. Pen pals have been around for a long time, making this the most familiar form of communication for many parents. However, with email, contact is almost instantaneous and of no extra charge if your parent already has internet and computer access.
- Online social sites. Sites like Facebook are very easy to use and can give your aging loved one the opportunity to stay in touch with friends and family, allowing them to feel more acquainted with the lives of their loved ones. When setting up their account, it is a good idea to customize their privacy settings in order to avoid any unwanted solicitations from people they do not know.
- Video chats. Applications like Skype or Facetime make it easy for your aging loved one to communicate with friends or family who are no longer live close enough to visit, and adding a visual element to these conversations can help to make them feel much closer when talking to them.
Check back on Friday when we discuss what your aging loved one can do to help make new friends. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you have. We are always here to help.
Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or just to say hello!
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“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”