Being around people you enjoy can add a special park of happiness and comfort to your day. Just knowing that someone is looking forward to seeing you each morning makes it easier to get up and get going. It’s the perfect antidote for senior loneliness. And it’s why assisted living at The Herrick House is such a great choice.
Assisted living: an antidote for senior loneliness
Feeling lonely or left out is not only a terrible feeling, but also a dangerous one for anyone over the age of 50. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. It also significantly increases a person’s risk of premature death from all causes.
It really is true: people need people. And living alone at home often means seeing very people, if any, during the day. However, in a vibrant assistant living community such as The Herrick House in Beverly, Massachusetts, you’ll have lots of friendly people around you, along with numerous ways to combat senior loneliness and live a life filled with healthy companionship.
Assisted living offers several ways for residents to connect with others
For example:
- Serve as a community ambassador. What a great way to meet people: welcoming them to the community! You could show them around, have lunch together, talk about common interests, and introduce them to others.
- Dine at a different table each evening. Freedom of choice is one of the great aspects of life in an assisted living community. You’re free to come and go and enjoy what appeals to you. And that includes mealtimes. Instead of sitting with familiar faces every evening, you can opt to make new friends by occasionally changing your dining table.
- Participate in a full calendar of activities, events and more. Today’s assisted living communities are active, energetic places where there’s always something going on. A wonderful way to combat senior loneliness is to engage with others through doing something you enjoy—or something you’ve always wanted to do!
Here are some real examples: Learning to paint. Discussing a new bestseller in a group. Joining in on the latest trivia game. Trying yoga. Planting some flowers. At The Herrick House, we go out of our way to keep our residents as engaged as they choose to be.
Download your free copy of
Just The Facts: A Guide to Assisted Living.
- Join the group for an excursion. Going somewhere fun together is a surefire way to make new friends. It could be going to see an exhibit at a museum. A favorite lunch spot or lovely park. Even the opening of a new play at a local theater.
- Take advantage of all the amenities. When you have wonderful places to gather and relax, it’s easy to make friends and enjoy the company of others. For example, at The Herrick House, our gorgeous parlor is a favorite spot for conversation and camaraderie, with its grand piano and fireplace. There’s also a library with its own fireplace. Comfortable lounges, a pub, a covered porch, mature gardens and walking paths and much more.
You get the idea: in the right assisted living setting, senior loneliness disappears!
- Volunteer for events and projects. Assisted living is filled with people with special wisdom, talents and expertise. It provides a perfect opportunity to join in and help with a special event. Or lend your abilities to a project that serves the outside community, such as an area school or charity. Working together on a worthy cause is a great way to connect and feel a sense of purpose, so important for healthy aging and happiness.
The Herrick House gives you the chance to be part of a close and caring community
Here, you benefit from an atmosphere of cheer and warmth each and every day, a full schedule of activities that includes daily, weekly and monthly social, spiritual, cultural and educational programs. If you like to have fun, and you like to make friends, you’ll love it here! Let us tell you more.
You’ll feel it right away: a warm welcome that tells you this is home. Download your free copy of Just The Facts: A Guide to Assisted Living. Contact us to learn more about The Herrick House or to schedule your tour.
