Socializing Your Way into Old Age
Yes, it's true. Recent studies and research have shown that individuals with healthy and supportive relationships live longer.
Having good friends and consistently socializing is just as important to your overall health as eating healthy, staying active, or choosing not to smoke. Unfortunately, as you grow older it becomes a struggle to maintain these friendships due to retirement or loss of normal function. This leaves older people with a feeling or sorrow and detachment. We have heard from experts and research organizations that "one of the most critical services we need to provide for older people is help for them to build and maintain social networks" (Cookson, 2009).
The amount of social interactions you have could even affect your risk of disability. A study following participants over the course of 36 years revealed that "Maintaining a high level of social activity in the transition into old age may indicate an intact access to social support as well as a certain level of physical activity. Together these may help postpone late-life disability" (Agahi et al., 2013).
Check out this article on News in Health (NIH) that provides more information on keys to healthy aging -- mentally, physically, and socially.
References
Cookson, A. (2009). Net gains: It’s official: socialising helps us live healthier and longer. All the more reason, then, to help older
people get online and join in the social networking revolution that younger people enjoy. Amelia Cookson reports. Nursing Older People, 21(1), 6-7. 10.7748/nop.21.1.6.s9
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Agahi, N., Lennartsson, C., Kåreholt, I., & Shaw, B. A. (2013). Trajectories of social activities from middle age to old age and late-life disability: A 36-year follow-up. Age and Ageing, 42(6), 790-793. 10.1093/ageing/aft140