Sun City Huntley residents, YOU have made the wise decision to move into our fabulous, active senior community. The Daily Herald explains it well with the following statements they printed on June 4, under the title “Be Active, Be Healthy.”
The newspaper tells us “…moving to an adult living community can add years to your life.” In fact, because loneliness and social isolation are literally bad for your health, the Herald tells us studies have found that these two factors alone have proven to be as much of a threat to your life expectancy as obesity can be. The local paper states research from around the world substantiates this statement. Specifically, the Huffington Post reports that “…data from 3 million participants in a Brigham Young University study found that living (totally) on your own can increase your risk of premature death by 32 percent while loneliness raises the risk by 26 percent and isolation increases it by 29 percent.”
Another study performed by the University of Chicago comments that loneliness is responsible for raising cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone. This can lead to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
CNN confirms that researchers at the University of York, Great Britain, combined current info with North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia’s earlier data to discover that social isolation and loneliness are equivalent to anxiety in producing heart trouble.
Why does this occur?
Scientists suggest that people living in isolated environments have worse diets, don’t exercise as much, have weaker sleep patterns, and don’t take care of their health as much as seniors living in organized accommodations with many health benefits. According to the Daily Herald, in contrast to the isolated living areas with negative findings, research has shown that planned communities generally expand seniors’ lives by three to five years.
That being said, most organized accommodations for the above 55-year-old age group (ours amongst them) try to structure everything around the eight dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, occupational/vocational, environmental, social engagement, and health services. Social interaction alone has so many benefits when it comes to memory and cognitive skills. Because people are social beings, peer support is definitely a key to their happiness. Spending time with others just makes individuals happier especially when they can take advantage of the multitude of opportunities handily available to them in their daily lives.
According to Everyday Health, to ward off depression that often comes with aging, “Experts agree staying physically healthy, socially active, and mentally engaged as you age are keys for boosting senior mental (and physical) health.”
Whether living alone or with another individual, whether still working full-time or part-time or completely retired, please join your fellow residents for your own planned interactions with them weekly. Your monthly Lifestyles magazine, bi-monthly SunDay newspaper, and Prairie and Meadowview Lodges’ membership desks can help supply you with appropriate resident information. Part 2 of this topic (next publication) will enlighten our entire community on 10 specific ways to gain healthy longevity in Sun City Huntley. Included also in my story is a testimonial on how a fully-employed resident found her “Del Webb Lifestyle!”
