Friendship In Old Age Relieves Pain

Friendship in old age constitutes an essential pillar for the well-being of the person. At this stage of human life, social ties continue to be decisive; so much so that they can be as necessary as they are in our teenage years. Company, encouragement, complicity, confidence, affection, closeness … All of this are authentic nutrients for the elderly.

To understand the determination of that link, it is good that we stop at a fact. One of the biggest problems with the elderly is social isolation. And, let’s be clear, loneliness makes life sick, imprisoned, depressed and turns off life. Likewise, there is another fact and it is none other than assuming that loneliness and old age go hand in hand and that it is something that must be assumed.

Often we can tell the older person who has lost their spouse that they have no choice but to put up with it. The view that loneliness is a condition that older people must assume is a form of discrimination and a cultural distortion that we should correct. Having quality of life at any age is a human right and unwanted loneliness is not something we should get used to.

Teneesse Williams said that life is, in large part, what we do with the friends we choose. Having these alliances in our daily lives is a way of giving meaning, momentum and significance to our existence. Something essential at any age.

Friendship in old age is as powerful as drugs

As we mature and move through our life cycle, we learn a lot about friendship. We do not handle the same definition when we are 20 as when we are 60. We learn about the human being, about relationships and we also discover who deserves our affection and who is better to leave behind. We become more selective and we know exactly what we want.

In this way, something that defines the elderly is reaching advanced ages with a more limited or less accessible family network. To the losses of the spouses is added -sometimes- the empty nest, not having children, siblings, grandchildren nearby … Social isolation is that shadow that hangs over the elderly person and that can only be resolved through a mode: friendships.

Although the importance of neighbors or social services making home visits is sometimes discussed, none of this is meaningful from an emotional point of view. Welfare support is useful and beneficial, but it is not transcendent from this perspective, capable of encouraging illusion and hope.

Friendship ties improve mental health more than ties with relatives

The gerontology department at the University of Carolina found in a study that, on average, when we reach old age, friendships can play an essential role. They are so because they have a stronger impact on psychological well-being than the company of certain relatives.

This has its explanation. It is true that a father or a mother loves their children and their grandchildren; however, you do not always have them on a day-to-day basis. However, having a circle of friends implies socializing, leaving home, having short and long-term projects, sharing worries, sadness, joys, confidences. ..

All these dynamics of everyday life are what stimulate the brain and inject positive emotions. Friendship in old age is therefore an indispensable pillar, almost as much as that of the family itself.

Friendship in old age confers independence and this reverts to well-being

Reaching the third “station of youth” in the life cycle does not mean losing desire and illusions. Some wrinkles on the face do not extinguish the desire to continue experimenting. Germanophobia and existing prejudices around the elderly distort the image that can be had about this stage of existence.

However, there is something we must consider. Many people reach their sixties or seventies with various unmet social needs, which can lead to isolation, existential dissatisfaction, and depression. All of this can turn completely around if you have meaningful and stimulating friendships.

In many cases, reaching this stage can become a time when you can enjoy your time more than ever. The company of other people of the same age and in the same situation can encourage them to start new projects, managing in many cases to meet expectations and experiences that could not be achieved in youth due to infinite factors.

Women enjoy their circle of friends much more

The fact that women are the ones who delight much more in friendship in old age has an explanation. On average, life expectancy is higher in the female gender. They are the ones who are most likely to live alone. However, having the closeness of other people, of friends of his age, reverts directly to his physical and psychological health.

Friendship in the elderly is defined by alliances that are more complicit, satisfactory and necessary on a day-to-day basis. It is a fabulous way to curb isolation and improve quality of life. Now, we also need to reflect on one aspect. Our society must facilitate these dynamics.

We need the community itself to favor spaces for union between seniors, as well as activities with which to encourage enthusiasm and short-term and long-term goals in them. In a future in which society will be increasingly aging, we need current changes that revert to the future.