When my husband, Dennis, was first diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, I was told to expect that he would gradually have more difficulty planning and initiating a healthy variety of activities, but that it would help his emotional health and mental abilities to interact with other people. Knowing this prompted me to take the initiative when it came to planning things we could do together, and to suggest things he could do on his own or with friends and family.
Our relationships are very important for our general health and well-being. Unfortunately, when this need goes unmet there can be serious mental and physical health consequences, including cardiovascular disease, depression, and dementia. In the US, more than a quarter of older adults and nearly half of women over the age of 75 live alone . Social isolation is considered a risk factor for loneliness, the subjective feeling of being alone. People who live with others, especially if the relationships are of poor quality or strained, can also feel lonely, regardless of the frequency of social contact. (Image courtesy of Justin MacKenzie, 2018)