Benefits of Community Involvement for Seniors


Staying active and engaged has many benefits no matter what your age, but it can have especially positive benefits for seniors who may otherwise find themselves isolated or lonely. Community involvement can take on a number of forms from taking part in social groups and clubs to volunteering to spending time with neighbors or other friends. Learn about the benefits of community involvement and some places that are designed to help seniors stay involved.

Positive Mental Health Benefits

Whether you are spending time with a social group like the Red Hat Society or a local seniors group at your community center or spending time with a group at your church or volunteering, you are reaping the benefits of social interaction.

Prevent and Combat Depression: These opportunities give you the opportunity to think outside of yourself and about others. It also allows you to form friendships and create bonds that can help you battle depression. Psychology Today suggests that volunteering in particular has a positive effect on reducing depression since it can give you sense of purpose and a regular schedule.
Slow Down Dementia: Staying active can also slow down dementia. For examples studies have shown that playing board games can help slow down the progression of dementia and finding a group that enjoys the same games such as Scrabble or Rummikub can actually help you keep your mind alert and active.

Positive Effects on Physical Health

Community involvement can also have a positive impact on your physical health. This is because it keeps you active which can help you stay healthy. You will want to find activities that you can complete comfortably without putting yourself at risk of injury or picking up an illness. However, going outside on a regular basis and taking in the sunshine and the company of others can help reduce the effects of arthritis. It can also help combat the effects of heart disease and chronic pain because you need to stay active.

Ways to Get Involved in the Community

There are a number of ways to become involved in your community. The trick may be to find the opportunities that are the most appealing to you. The easiest place to start may be the church that you are attending or your closest community center. You can also find opportunities through your local senior citizens center or library. Many groups will post information on the bulletin boards in these locations and you can find something that is a good fit for you. If you live in a retirement community, they may also have information on groups you can join or social groups that may be appealing to you.

Volunteer opportunities are just as easy to find, but you should start by considering what areas you are comfortable volunteering. Helping out at a hospital may be a good fit for some people, while other people may prefer to volunteer at the library or school. Other people may prefer something that is more physically active or that gives the opportunity to build long-term relationships. Once you have identified the type of service, you can begin contacting the organizations to learn about the service opportunities available. Be sure that you do not over extend yourself as you volunteer, but choose an activity that you can easily commit to.

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5 Ways to Prevent of Falls

Everyone will fall from time to time whether from clumsiness to a simple misstep on the stairs, it is a common occurrence. However, it can become more dangerous as you become older. According to NCOA, an older adult is treated for a fall in the emergency room every 11 seconds. This alarming statistic makes having a home medical alert service a necessity for any elderly person that wants to live independently. It is just as important to actively work to prevent falls in and around your home.

1. Keep Your Home Clean of Clutter


Many people will fall as a result of tripping or stumbling across a cord or over items that were left in the hallway or along a path. One of the best ways to stay safe is to reduce the clutter around your home. It can take a lot of work to clear out a home of the clutter, but it is essential if you want to maintain your independence and continue to live at home. Start with your hallways and then move on to your most used rooms. Family can help or you can hire a professional to help with the clean up.

2. Watch Out for Slippery Sidewalks


Falls increase in the winter with the ice and snow that can gather on sidewalks and on the stairs up to your home. However, you may be more likely to fall on wet sidewalks, especially if you have slippery footwear on. The first step to avoid falls of this type is choose shoes that will not slip on wet pavement or that can grip well on the ice or snow. Hiring someone to take care of your walks and driveway for you can help. Using ice melt on your sidewalks can reduce the chance of falling. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or a steady arm to lean on as you move from your home to the car or the car to the store.

3. Be Careful of Rugs


Area rugs on hardwood floors or bathroom and kitchen mats can all cause falls. As they get older, the rubber on the bottom may wear off and they can easily slip or slide across the floor when you put weight on them. This can lead to a fall. They can also turn into a tripping hazard if an end gets folded up or stuck on something. This does not mean that you need to get rid of them completely. Just be sure that you check to make sure they do not slip or slide and to keep an eye out to make sure they do not flip up.

4. Install Safety Bars in the Shower and Bathroom


The bathroom is a hazardous area for falls. The floors can become slippery when showering or bathing. It can be difficult to climb in and out of a tub or shower. One of the ways you can reduce falls in the bathroom is to install safety balls in both the shower and along the wall. It is also important to make sure the bottom of the shower or tub does not get too slippery when wet.

5. Use a Cane or Walker as Needed


Canes and walkers can help you navigate stairs and sidewalks. They are also great if you are not feeling particularly steady on your feet. If your doctor recommends that you use one, it really is a must. However, you can use a cane without a doctor’s prescription. When choosing a cane choose some with a solid rubber tip on the bottom and a handle that is easy to grip.

Even with all of these precautions, falls can still happen. It is important to have a plan in place in case you do fall. A mobile medical alert service is a good component of that plan, since it can be used wherever you are and get you the help you need if you do fall. This can help you keep the independence that you want.

Learn more about how to avoid being compromised by a fall by having the SafetyWatch medical alert system with fall detection that contacts emergency personnel immediately should a fall be detected: https://safetywatchservices.com/medical-alert-services/

Medical Alert Services Benefits

Growing older usually implies a large range of problems from mobility troubles to other well being issues that may possibly make it tough to get around. Nonetheless, most older adults do not want to give up their independence. They want to be allowed to appreciate lifestyle on their own and continue to be lively in their community. One answer that can provide peace of mind to families and the older adults by themselves is SafetyWatch. SafetyWatch gives a monitoring system that will quickly alert if there is something amiss.

SafetyWatch is a monitoring system with a watertight and shockproof necklace or bracelet that you wear. The gadget functions in two special methods:
1. This method allows you to speedily ask for aid by just pressing a button. When you do this, you can converse to the Emergency Response Center who can determine the seriousness of your situation and deliver the proper assistance.

2.The system also delivers the option of MyActive Fall Detection Service. This will detect a drop and have the Emergency Response Center make contact with you to make sure everything is all right.

This is a excellent option since you might not be able to get to the button after a tumble.

Falls can be the most debilitating accidents for older adults. A drop can end up in a broken hip or other significant injury. At moments falls may be caused by more serious health care occasions like a coronary heart assault or stroke. This service permits the individual at home to receive help soon after a fall or accident without| needing to worry about not being found.

Most monitoring services are dependent in a house, which can limit the sum that one individual can do. SafetyWatch understands that you might nevertheless want to be capable to vacation or go out on the city with no worrying, which is why they also have the Mobile Alert Medical System. This systems connects to the AT&T 3-G network. In addition to getting capable to be moved from area to location, the bracelets allow the responders in the crisis reaction center to rapidly discover your location and ship aid proper to where you need to have it.

If you want the independence of living on your very own, but still want to give your loved ones and loved ones peace of mind, SafetyWatch provides two answers that will allow you to do just that. The monthly service is cost-effective and can give you the assurance that you are safe and well.
https://safetywatchservices.com/medical-alert-services/in-home/