Regular engagement with children small can give older adults a renewed sense of purpose and improve their mood, which can help protect against common mental health conditions.
As we age, we face many changes and challenges in our lives. In parallel, the decrease in physical abilities and the possibility of losing part of independence, as occurs when moving to an assisted living facility. or nursing home, may increase your risk of developing common mental health conditions such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and others.
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Regular interaction with young children can be a powerful antidote to these conditions. By interacting with little ones, older adults can experience a renewed sense of purpose as they share knowledge, skills and life stories with them.
This intergenerational connection can provide a significant source of joy, satisfaction and a sense of belonging, stimulating the minds of older adults, encouraging creativity, positive thinking and resilience emotional.
Positive factors can have a direct impact on mental health, helping to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Illustrating these facts, the PLOS ONE published a new study examining the effects of interactions with young children on the mental health of elderly people residing in nursing homes in South Africa. Check out more details below!
The relationship between children and the elderly and improvement in mental health
By observing nursing home residents and their interaction with children, researchers analyzed the effects of this interaction on mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and loneliness.
The study carried out had the participation of 10 women over 60 years old, half of them in the age group between 80 and 89 years old.
These women were selected from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds to represent a diverse sample.
A search was conducted in a residential home that, in 2018, installed a ludoteca, a space dedicated to recreational activities, which allowed regular and non-mandatory interactive sessions to be held between residents and children aged three to five years deity.
The interviews conducted revealed that the interactions with the children provided residents of the nursing home with a sense of belonging to the community or even to a family. Participating in these interactions made them feel like an active part of the children's lives and society in general.
Furthermore, these interactions gave the seniors a sense of purpose. They experienced a sense that they were making a valuable contribution to the community by playing an active role in the children's growth and development.
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