Want to keep your grandma and your parents around for as long as possible? Spend more time with them!Research has shown that loneliness really takes a toll on older folks and a from the University of California San Francisco finds that people who aren’t lonely live longer, too.
The study followed 1,600 adults with an average age of 71 and found that the lonely ones had consistently higher mortality rates, even taking into account socioeconomic status and health. Nearly 23% of lonely participants died within six years of the study, compared to 14% of folks who say they had adequate companionship.
So while your Aunt Betty may not like the idea of moving into that assisted living home at first, she’ll be more connected to her community and have more opportunities to mingle and socialize with other older people there, and ultimately, that could keep her around longer. And spending quality time with Grandma and Gramps isn’t just good for them, it benefits us, too. Where else will we hear stories like that and get recipes that have been handed down for generations?