Friendship that transcends generations, helping to learn new skills and keep an open mind
Loneliness and social isolation are related to mental and physical health problems. This is especially true for people over 50. The older I get, the more I get along with my peers and feel awkward when I meet younger people. According to a study published last year, making friends with people of different ages is an effective way to curb loneliness. Helping older adults learn new perspectives and become more open-minded can increase social inclusion.
According to American health media ‘Berrywell Health.com’, friendship across generations is beneficial to both parties. The younger generation can benefit from life experiences and advice shared by older adults. Older people can broaden their understanding of the new world by meeting the younger generation.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professor Neda Gould (psychiatry and behavioral sciences) said, “As you get older, you can feel more lonely if you don’t make an effort to engage in social activities and connect with people.” “Older adults are more likely to learn new skills and be more open-minded when they make friends with younger generations,” he added.
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Loneliness can be associated with health problems like depression at any age. In particular, those over 50 are at higher risk of health conditions that can be exacerbated by the tolls of loneliness and social isolation, including dementia, heart disease, stroke and even premature death.
“Loneliness and social isolation are not the same thing,” said Diane Meyer, a professor of gerontology at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. Loneliness is feeling alone no matter how many social interactions you have. Social isolation refers to a lack of interaction measured over a day or a week.
Postmenopausal women may be at increased risk of health complications related to loneliness and social isolation. A study published in JAMA Network Open in February of this year, which followed more than 58,000 women over eight years, found that social isolation was associated with an 8% increase in cardiovascular disease, and loneliness was associated with a 5% increase.
Women who reported experiencing both had a 13 to 27 percent higher risk of heart disease than women who scored lower on loneliness and isolation.
Additional research has shown that loneliness can double the risk of type 2 diabetes, with even worse outcomes for people with heart failure.
“It’s very clear that human contact is essential for health,” Meyer said. “We have to think regarding social contact and being with people in the same way as eating a healthy diet and exercising.”
“In terms of how the human species evolved, it’s normal for us to live with different generational groups,” he added. “Regardless of our age, we’re all just human.” It means that we need a way of thinking that accepts age as a characteristic, like height, weight and hair color.
