Topic: social connectedness
Longevity might just be less about strong medicine and more about strong connection to others. Research shows that having meaningful social ties is a good predictor of living longer and better. Social connections can help protect your heart, sharpen your mind, and boost joy and resilience. On the other hand, loneliness and the resulting emotional pain can activate your body’s stress response, just like physical pain. Loneliness is also associated with a higher rate of illness and premature death. If you aim for long-term health and independence, nurturing connection is essential. …
What is your role at Aging Wisdom?
Creative Engagement Specialist
What made you want to work in the field of aging? …
The arts and art-based engagement are powerful tools for fostering connection, supporting self-expression, and improving mental stimulation. In our experience as Creative Engagement Specialists, we recognize that making art is more than its outcome; it’s engaging our senses, cultivating purpose, and encouraging creativity. When you add community, you allow opportunities for giving and receiving encouragement and joy.
The participants we’ve come to know through our Art of Connection program exemplify this with a motivating, “Almost there!” or a celebratory, “You’ve done it!”
What is Art of Connection?
It is one of Aging Wisdom’s newest Creative Engagement programs. Art of Connection brings curated art experiences to older adults living together in Adult Family Homes. …
We tend to think friendships should grow organically. They don’t. Particularly in our later years, when we often lose friends—to death, illness, or moving away—we need to be much more intentional about making new ones.
This is especially so for “solo agers,” those without children and grandchildren. The younger generations in the family typically make up a large portion of the average older adult’s social network. …
by Jullie Gray, MSW, LICSW, CMC.
Ask anyone for their top advice about living a long, healthy life and you’ll probably hear tips about the importance of eating well, stopping smoking, exercising and getting regular medical checkups. Don’t throw those good habits out the window; but, it may come as a shock to learn that connecting with others may be the single most important ingredient for aging well.
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