Module 5 · Part 2 of 5
All humans need connections with others to be healthy and happy — the more involved an ageing person is with community, family and friends, the healthier and happier they'll be. Social contacts may be harder to arrange than in the past, but they're no less important. Often there are alternative ways for ageing people to take part in activities — encourage your friend to keep up social contacts.
As friends, it's important we recognise older people's reduced stamina and endurance — they tire more easily, may not have the enthusiasm for conversation we have, may become frustrated when they can't think of something simple, and may not remember an event from a couple of weeks ago. We need to make allowances for this natural process.
Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly.
— Leviticus 19:34
There have been two broad ideas about the social aspects of ageing. One suggests that as people get older they want less and less to do with others — withdrawing from earlier contacts, with fewer and weaker emotional ties, becoming more self-centred and self-occupied. The other suggests that the more active older people are, the more life satisfaction they gain — meaning it's important to either encourage older people to continue previous activities, or find replacement ones.
Symptoms of ageing can include:
Age brings a natural deterioration of the body, and the signs that accompany it often reflect earlier lifestyle — too much sun and sand can lead to skin cancer; inadequate exercise and poor diet can lead to overweight, heart failure, dangerously high cholesterol (and consequent stroke), diabetes, and possible amputations. Many other signs of ageing simply reflect the body's inability to replace weary or dead cells:
Psychology refers to the mind, emotions and personality. Some general "mind" issues that may relate to an ageing person:
Continue to the next part of Module 5.