By: Jennifer Beach, LSW, MA, C-SWCM
Sarah is turning 94 this month. She has lived in an assisted living community for almost four years now. Prior to moving to the AL facility, she resided in her home for over 50 years. Sarah is an only child who cared for her parents until they both passed. She had a long, successful career and enjoyed many hobbies and interests over her lifetime. She was active, independent, a self-starter and thrived, regardless of spending much of her life alone. In her mid-80s, she began to slow down. Her neighbors stepped in to help Sarah in any way they could until it became clear Sarah needed more support to remain in her home.
It took time for Sarah to get use to communal living after being alone for much of her life. Initially, learning the layout of the facility, the routines, and meeting others seemed to keep her days full, even though she missed her home immensely. Things eventually became familiar and routine. She had no interest in playing bingo, coloring or putting together crafts. Soon, she started to question the purpose in her life. What is the point of being here?
Over the past decades, multiple studies have shown that older adults who have a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives are less likely to develop cognitive and physical impairments, suffer less from depression, and are more likely to live longer than people without this kind of underlying motivation.
A report in JAMA Psychiatry added to this evidence by showing that older adults with a solid sense of purpose tend to retain strong hand grips and walking speeds — key indicators of how rapidly people are aging.
How do we help people like Sarah — in assisted living and long-term care settings (nursing homes) — to find meaning and purpose in their days? Patricia Boyle, a leading researcher in this field and a professor of behavioral sciences at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago states: “A purpose in life can arise from learning a new thing, accomplishing a new goal, working together with other people, or making new social connections when others are lost.”
Research from Tara Gruenewald, chair of the department of psychology at California’s Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University, highlights how important it is for older adults to feel they play a valuable role in the lives of others.
“I think what we often lose as we age into older adulthood is not a desire to contribute meaningfully to others but the opportunity to do so,” said Gruenewald. Her research has found that people who perceive themselves as being useful had a stronger feeling of well-being and were less likely to become disabled or to die during a seven-year follow-up period than those who didn’t see themselves this way.
Lately, Sarah has been talking to a new resident who moved in down the hall. This woman is terribly distraught and wants to go back home. Sarah has been letting her know it’s going to be okay, and she also knows and understands how it feels to “lose” your home. This interaction of supporting and helping another individual has added a small purpose to Sarah’s life and it makes a difference.
We must recognize the importance being engaged and having meaning and purpose in our lives, no matter our age.
Original Article: https://www.northeastohioboomer.com/blogger/why-am-i-still-here/