74 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com Helping patients build on their social skills takes many forms in the Brighter Day office — from offering conversation starters to encouraging friendship through clubs and sports. “Their therapy homework might be to say hello to a co-worker they’ve never talked to before,” Ward said. “Just from looking at a person, you might be able to talk about something. I tell patients to come up with open-ended questions — get the other person talking about themselves, and then you can just add to that, and let them do most of the talking,” Ward explained. “And the conversation keeps going once you find common ground. If you, for example, know they’re a foodie, you can discuss a restaurant. Or you can bring up a sports team.” Moore is swift to point out that not all residents at Mount Pleasant Gardens want to be social. While opportunities for social connection are always made available, they aren’t forced. “Thriving can mean different things to different people,” she said. “Knowing the characteristics of each resident makes this area of my job easy. There are some people, as we all know, who tend to be introverted. This is a human right. We wouldn’t be doing the residents any justice if I forced them or even strongly sold them on the idea of participation. We have found that the less you coax or pressure them, the more they feel respected and the more likely they will be to come out of their bubble.” A balance of healthy alone time and healthy social time is ideal. . . . somewhere between the constant scrolling of empty digital connection and the complete avoidance of in-person contact. And don’t think you have to do anything elaborate — just getting out of the house and into the world is often a great first step, Ward emphasized. “Go to a cool coffee shop and see people, or talk to the barista,” she said. “Go to a dog park, go to places you enjoy — naturally, people will be there.” SOCIALIZING AND MENTAL HEALTH By the Numbers Social isolation was associated with about a 50% INCREASED risk of dementia. Nearly ONE-FOURTH OF ADULTS 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated. More than ONE-THIRD OF ADULTS 45 and older feel lonely. Loneliness among heart failure patients was associated with a nearly 4 TIMES increased risk of death, 68% INCREASED risk of hospitalization and 57% INCREASED risk of emergency department visits. Poor social relationships – characterized by social isolation or loneliness – was associated with a 29% INCREASED risk of heart disease and a 32% INCREASED risk of stroke. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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