Making Friends With Elder Care
National Friendship Day takes place on August 6th and is a day designed to get people to reconnect with old friends. As your life changes through marriage, children, and retirement, it’s easy to lose touch. How has your mom’s social circle changed over the years?
Retirement and Aging Can Lead to Shrinking Circles
After retirement, your mom no longer was seeing her co-workers every workday and at after-hour gatherings. As other friends retired and moved to new states or countries for a warmer or cooler climate or to be closer to children and grandchildren, your mom’s social circle got much smaller.
If she becomes a widow, it can also impact her social circle. Friends that were her spouse’s friends may not spend as much time with your mom now that her spouse isn’t there. It doesn’t always seem fair, but it just happens.
Why does it matter? Studies find that a lack of socialization impacts your emotional, physical, and mental health. Loneliness and isolation increase the risk of depression. It also increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and high blood pressure.
What Can You Do to Help?
Your mom needs to widen her social circle. One way to do this is by volunteering or joining a support group. If she’s a widow, a bereavement support group is a good way to meet others who understand what she’s going through.
Volunteering is another way to connect with people who have similar interests. She could volunteer at the local library and meet other avid readers. She could volunteer at the area art museum and meet others who are interested in art.
There are other ways to ensure your mom stays social. She could join a reading group, go to the gym for beginner Yoga, or attend a senior center’s dinners, luncheons, and group outings. The busier she is, the better it is for her.
Don’t Become Your Mom’s Only Choice for Social Events
Are you your mom’s only option for socialization? If so, you could be making it hard to have your own social life. This continues the circle and impacts your own needs to be social and engage with friends.
If you’re spending your free time keeping your mom company, when do you have time for your own self-care requirements? You have to make sure you aren’t so busy helping others that you forget about yourself. You need to come first sometimes, so make sure you arrange companionship for your mom to ensure you have time off.
Make sure your mom has people available for socialization each week. One of the ways to guarantee she has people checking on her is by arranging elder care. Caregivers take your mom shopping, keep her company at meals, and provide the socialization she craves. Learn more by talking to an elder care advisor.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elder care in Media, PA, and the surrounding area, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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