Although loneliness occurs in all age groups, the chance of becoming lonely in old age is greater. Fortunately, the attention to this problem is growing and there are more and more opportunities to do something about this yourself. A1 Senior Care Portland gives a first overview of solutions. Do you know more?
Caregivers Portland OR – Treating Loneliness
Loneliness is about the number of contacts someone has and/or the nature of those contacts. In other words: do you have people with whom you can talk and/or does the quality of the relationship (s) meet your wishes and needs? A cause of loneliness in old age can be the loss of partner and friends. Even poorer health, which makes it more difficult to maintain contacts, increases the chance of loneliness. Loneliness is a subjective feeling: “you are only lonely when you feel lonely,” Coalition Erbij calls that. Unfortunately, loneliness often occurs: according to the National Elderly Fund, 200,000 people over 55 are extremely lonely.
Practical tips for senior care in Portland
Coalition Erbij provides a number of useful and practical tips on their site .
Make a list of old contacts that have been diluted. Maybe you can call or email someone.
Are there people with whom you have a superficial contact that you would like to deepen? Then talk about what you have been doing lately and also ask the other person about it.
Dare to ask for help. People often like to do something for someone else, especially if it is not too big.
Offer neighbors or acquaintances your help: babysitter of children or pets, jobs, housekeeping and the like.
Practice yourself in ‘small talk’ (chat about cows and calves) when shopping. Make contact with people in the neighborhood.
If you have a dog, have a chat with other dog owners.
Many people experience (h) recognition in contact with fellow sufferers in a certain area (‘you have half a word enough, understand each other exactly’), for example at a patient association or next of kin group.
Beforehand: there are many methods
It is good to know that there are many types of courses, activities and methods in the Netherlands that can help you. For example, there are networking courses, information meetings, telephone circles, buddy projects, visitor services, meeting rooms, activity programs, road maps, friendship banks, means of communication, games and marketplaces. In short: there are fixed solutions that suit you as a person and your situation.
