Socially Active Older Adults Have Slower Rates of Mental, Physical Decline
Engaged elderly may be more motivated to maintain their health, have better health information
By Sharyn Alden, Contributing Writer, Health Behavior News Service
Dec. 9, 2011 - Staying connected to other people through a wide variety of social activities can yield important health
consequences as you age. That’s the message from a new study that found that older adults who maintain high levels of social activity or ramp
up their social life as they age might be protected from increases in physical and cognitive issues over time.
“People have some control over their social lives, so it is encouraging to find that something many people find
enjoyable—socializing with others—can benefit their cognitive and physical health,” said study author Patricia A. Thomas, Ph.D., of the
Population Research Center at University of Texas at Austin.
Are
American senior citizens who say they're happy simply part of an era
that predisposed them to good cheer? Or do most people – whether born
and raised in boom times or busts – have it within themselves to reach
their golden years with a smile? - Oct. 28, 2010
While earlier research had established a link between health and social relations, this study sought to examine how
changing social connections over time influenced health. While the elderly are vulnerable to losing formal social roles through retirement or
the death of a spouse, they could still seek out social activities in other arenas.
In the study, which appears online in the December issue of the Journal
of Health and Social Behavior, the researchers analyzed data from a sample of 1,667 adults older than 60 years. Data collection
from participants occurred in 1986, 1989, 1994 and 2002.
Participants were asked about their frequency of social activities, such as visiting with friends and family members;
attending meetings, programs or clubs; and volunteering in the community over the previous 12 months. They also answered questions about
cognitive and physical limitations.
Older adults who had high initial levels of social engagement that only slightly decreased over time and those who had
high or medium levels of engagement that increased over time developed cognitive and physical limitations more slowly than did those with low
levels of engagement that decreased over time.
Thomas pointed out, “Even if older adults weren’t socially active when they were younger, when they increase social
activity later in life, it can still reduce physical and cognitive health issues.”
Asenath La Rue, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist with the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute at the University of Wisconsin School
of Medicine and Public Health, agreed with the study’s main finding.
La Rue said there has not been much reporting about the benefits gained from social interaction if a person was not
socially connected when younger. “However, it’s like the chicken and egg question about which comes first,” she explained, noting that while
the research was observational, epidemiology supports the fact that social interaction is beneficial for cognitive health and physical
performance in older adults.
Copyright - Health Behavior News Service (hbns-editor@cfah.org),
part of the Center for Advancing Health. The Center for Advancing Health is funded by The Annenberg Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation.
Note - While the information provided in this
news story is from the latest peer-reviewed research, it is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment recommendations. For medical
questions or concerns, please consult a health care provider.
The Journal of Health and Social Behavior is a
quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of the American Sociological Association (http://asanet.org).
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Dec. 9, 2011 - Staying connected to other people through a wide variety of social activities can yield important health
consequences as you age. That’s the message from a new study that found that older adults who maintain high levels of social activity or ramp
up their social life as they age might be protected from increases in physical and cognitive issues over time.
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