After several months of restrictions in our social activities, we all need to rebuild these habits and reconnect with our network. As for the bicycle, we realize that fortunately it is not lost, even if we sometimes find it difficult to get back on it. And this is important, because social participation is one of the pillars for aging well.
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Why ? Defined by a person’s involvement in activities that provide interaction with others in community life and in shared spaces, increased social participation is associated with better health, including reduced disability and mortality. Participating socially is also linked to reduced use of health services, consumption of medications, depressive symptoms, and cognitive and functional declines. It is through social participation that we have the opportunity to see people, to relate to others and to experience pleasant group activities. But also to help and help each other, to get involved in a collective project, to share knowledge and to take part in the decisions that concern us.
While one in five older Canadians has little social contact or feels neglected, one in three lives alone or is at risk of being isolated. However, there are many opportunities to participate socially, according to our interests and at low cost.
How? ‘Or’ What ? As for the regular practice of physical activity, social participation must be part of our routine of life and can imply a change.
In order to participate more socially, it is important now to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and within a specific timeframe – short, medium and long term).
One can choose to engage daily or weekly in a new activity that is important to oneself and promotes interaction with others in one’s residence or community. These activities can involve simply socializing with loved ones or be related to learning (training on the use of a tablet, for example), volunteering (friendly visits) and hobbies (knitting club). The Quebec Association for the Defense of the Rights of Retired or Pre-Retired Persons offers workshops to support seniors in this process1.
Whether your challenges to participating socially relate to motivation, travel, income, or awareness of possibilities, there are resources to help you overcome them. These resources can be identified by contacting certain organizations in your region, including the Community Development Corporation (in Coaticook, for example). An occupational therapist can also help you adapt certain activities or discover new ones. All that remains is to plan and prioritize these activities, to trust each other and to dare!
In addition to these opportunities, our team is currently working on the development and evaluation of a set of interventions and actions to promote the health and social participation of seniors. These interventions aim to better equip seniors and the people around them, namely volunteers, community organizations, stakeholders and municipalities. For example, we are currently collaborating with several volunteer action centers to train citizen-volunteers, both retired and students, to support seniors with disabilities to integrate into the community. In addition to benefiting seniors by stimulating them, this support allows volunteers to gain experience, get to know each other better, learn new things or form great friendships! If this type of commitment appeals to you, contact the volunteer action center in your region.2because we can all make a difference in the life of another!
The action plan
A Québec for all ages can help promote the social and recreational life of seniors and encourage research on this subject. To do this, in addition to the Active Life program, it is also important to encourage more concretely other initiatives promoting the social and recreational life of seniors. These initiatives should not focus solely on the economic dimension, ie maintaining their productivity, including as consumers or volunteers. Our actions and our collective objectives can also support friendly common spaces, such as the SPOT of the Maison des vieilles de Lévis, a physical place designed and managed by and for seniors, open to everyone, at all times and without conditions. In addition to encouraging a contribution and fostering a sense of belonging to the community, SPOT symbolizes the conviction that we all have to do our part to contribute to society and actualizes this conviction by keeping the door open. Individually and collectively, are we leaving our doors sufficiently open to the elders of our community? Does this openness allow us to welcome differences and is free from stereotypes, prejudices and age discrimination? The invitation is launched: let’s participate socially, according to our interests, to age better and for our community!