The Importance of Social Interactions for Seniors
April 16, 2014
Social Interactions for Seniors
Among many obvious contributors to poor health in the elderly – such as lifestyle, past injuries, or limited access to medical care – there is one factor which may not be immediately obvious but has a significant impact on overall health: isolation. With old age comes an increased risk of isolation as the older adult becomes less mobile and his or her peers and older relatives pass away. It is clear how this likely has an emotional impact on the elder, but what might be less obvious is that this emotional effect influences the elder’s physical health. By addressing isolation and helping an older adult find more pathways to social interaction, the elder’s overall health can be improved and their cost of care may be reduced.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first shockwave device indicated for patients with #diabeticfoot ulcers. Marketed as the Dermapace System, the device uses a handheld probe to deliver high-energy pulses similar to sound waves to the wound’s surface. According to the manufacturer, Sanuwave Health Inc, of Alpharetta, Georgia, the device increases perfusion and arteriogenesis, angiogenesis, biofilm disruption, and growth factor upregulation, which help regenerate skin and musculoskeletal and vascular structures. Treatment consists of 4 to 8 brief, noninvasive applications given over 2 to 10 weeks. Monitoring and usual care are required afterward. The device is indicated for adults with diabetes who have foot ulcers lasting more than 30 days. The FDA noted that about 25% of people with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer. Poor circulation or a foot infection that doesn’t respond to treatment sometimes results in amputation.
Caregivers and nurses understand the importance of well-chosen words
Social relationships are consistently associated with biomarkers of health. Positive indicators of social well-being may be associated with lower levels of interleukin-6 in otherwise healthy people. Interleukin-6 is an inflammatory factor implicated in age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. Some grandparents feel that caring for their grandchildren makes them healthier and more active. They experience a strong emotional bond and often lead a more active lifestyle, eat healthier meals, and may even reduce or stop smoking. Social isolation constitutes a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality, especially in older adults. Loneliness may have a physical as well as an emotional impact. For example, people who are lonely frequently have elevated systolic blood pressure. Loneliness is a unique risk factor for symptoms of depression, and loneliness and depression have a synergistic adverse effect on well-being in middle-aged and older adults.
Caring for Children with Disabilities
