Fostering a sense of community is vital to the social and emotional health of seniors. Luckily for older adults in Schaumburg, the city offers residents a plethora of senior centers and clubs to keep them socially active, engaged with the community, and filled with a continued zest for life.
What is the importance of community?
Older adults may struggle to remain socially engaged, especially after a spouse or loved ones pass away and loneliness overwhelms them. Regular social contact dwindles as the elderly struggle with mobility challenges or become homebound due to chronic health conditions.
According to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, one in three seniors feels isolated from others. More than one in three older adults polled report feeling a lack of companionship. Per the same poll, 33% of seniors report having infrequent contact with other people outside their home.
Community can reverse the feelings of loneliness and isolation in the elderly. It provides social, emotional, and physical health benefits, such as fostering a sense of belonging, motivating older adults to stay active, and leading a healthy lifestyle. These factors contribute to quality of life.
A sense of belonging, for instance, allows seniors to feel connected with those around them and valued. By participating in events and shared activities in their local community, the elderly experience a welcome boost in self-esteem and feel a greater purpose.
Staying active in the community offers practical benefits, too. Members of the community serve as a support network to a senior who is grieving, coping with health issues, or dealing with the life transitions associated with aging. Access to a support system is vital during challenging times.
Elderly volunteers give back to their community through volunteering. Working for a meaningful cause alongside likeminded volunteers of various age groups instills a sense of purpose in seniors. Volunteering also gives them an opportunity to share their life experiences and wisdom with others.
Seniors who find community are more physically active. They may join a walking club, participate in a senior exercise class, or work in a community garden, reaping the benefits of exercise and social camaraderie. An active lifestyle is a major contributor to optimum physical health.
How does Schaumburg foster community in seniors?
Finding community is easy for Schaumburg’s elderly residents. The city clearly communicates how much they care about the aging population via their Senior Resource Directory. This helpful document provides seniors and their families with local resources that can provide them with assistance.
The directory covers topics related to aging, such as senior housing, senior meals, and assisted living. The health of older adults is equally important, which is why it refers the elderly to important dental, vision, and hearing resources. Mental health resources are also included.
While a simple directory is helpful, the city of Schaumburg goes a step further with its Older Adults Services in Schaumburg (OASIS) Program. Volunteers in the program pay social visits to elderly participants, uplifting them with conversations and stimulating their minds with games.
Initially, the vetted volunteers in the OASIS program socialize with seniors over the phone. If both parties are comfortable, the volunteers make a trip to the older person’s home to socialize in person. OASIS offers a path for aging people to ease their loneliness and social isolation.
Another Schaumburg program, the Barn Senior Program, similarly celebrates life in the later stages. Seniors have the opportunity to stay active in their community during the Barn events. Nutritious food, fun, and the fellowship of other seniors keep the elderly entertained, socialized, and healthy.
The suggested donation for the nutritious meals is $4 to $6. As seniors fill up on healthy food, they can also participate in the program’s numerous social events. These events are centered around educational programs that keep the elderly informed about current age-related topics.
Schaumburg takes care of its older residents who are unable to pick up food independently. The Older Adult Market offers free food, such as fresh produce, to seniors aged 60 and over. Fruits, vegetables, and non-perishable foods are available to the elderly, and no registration is required.
Staying entertained is no issue for Schaumburg’s older adults with monthly movie days, special parties, and trips to exciting destinations. Senior residents can also discuss their favorite reads in the city’s monthly book club or do craftwork among elderly peers who likewise enjoy crafting.
Health and safety are priorities, and Schaumburg makes every effort to ensure its older residents are well-informed. Schaumburg holds financial seminars as well as medical seminars to bring awareness to age-related health conditions. Police and fire department safety programs are also offered.
Schaumburg’s older residents find community readily. From senior centers to clubs, the elderly can remain proactive about their social, physical, and emotional health. If your aging loved one needs help attending any of the available programs, Assisting Hands Home Care can be of service.
Senior Companion Care from Assisting Hands
As a leader in quality elder care, our home care agency provides a comprehensive range of services designed to support the non-medical care needs of seniors. Our care recipients rely heavily on our transportation services to stay active in the community and on top of their health.
For example, our caregivers drive and escort the elderly to doctors’ offices for medical checkups and senior centers for afternoons of bingo. We also shop for groceries and prepare healthy meals. Medication reminders are given so seniors take the right doses at the right times.
Additional care services include help with hygiene, so that the senior can attend any of Schaumburg’s events feeling comfortable and confident. We’re also great companions who contribute to the senior’s social life. Senior companionship eases older adults’ loneliness and social isolation.
Families looking for help for their aging loved one at home should consider Assisting Hands Home Care. We provide compassionate home care to the elderly in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Elk Grove Village, Inverness, Rolling Meadows, and Des Plaines, Illinois. Call us at (847) 448-0844 to schedule a free in-home consultation today to learn more about how dependable in-home care enhances quality of life.
