Social Engagement

When it comes to friendships, there are two sides to the equation. There is the question of how good a friend you are to others, and then there is the question of how you feel about the friends you have (or how you find new friends at your age in…

It’s that time of year when social gatherings pick up, and casual, happenstance meetups occur as everyone is back outside walking, or gardening, or engaging in other leisure activities. Not only do these connections and gatherings brighten our day or fill us with pleasure, but according to recent research, they…

A recent public survey clearly tells the story of loneliness among older adults: 34% of older adults surveyed feel isolated, and 37% suffer from a lack of companionship. As one expert makes clear, “When Mondays are like Thursdays are like Saturdays, life can be rather drab, miserable, and meaningless.” Beyond…

It’s a true quandary in our current times. With so much to be worried about (climate change, the future of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and political instability in our country and abroad), how is it possible to be happy and positive as the years go on? While many of…

There’s no getting around the reality that for so many older adults, loneliness continues to be an overbearing part of everyday life. As we have noted in previous posts, even if you have contact with other people and you’re not socially isolated, you may still experience profound loneliness (the subjective…

While many things can put you at risk for Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, as you likely know, there are also many actions you can take to alter your lifestyle and lower your risk for being diagnosed with dementia. Whether it be through living a more physically active…