Currently, care centers for older adults are common around the world. Establishing of these centers is mainly rooted from the belief that people who are aging need specialized care because of some of the health challenges they face. However, some of these centers isolate older adults from their communities, people and the environment in which they grew. It is from this perspective that presently social involvement of older adults is being linked to successful aging. Social involvement in this case refers to participation of older adults in normal community activities, and not being confined to special centers (De Leon, 2005). The argument is that older adults should live normal lives interacting with the community because such a lifestyle brings more fulfillments.
According to Carver et al., (2018), as people age, they tend to derive value in being involved in community activities. This is a group of people that have mostly retired and have a lot of time at their disposal. Therefore, if they do not find any meaningful activities to do with this time, then they may feel lonely. Additionally, if they are taken to special centers, they are likely to only interact with people who are aged just like them. They may think about their families, friends, relatives, and their own situations, and consequently, these thoughts could cause anxiety and even depression.
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Summarily, social involvement means that older adults live life just like any other community member. They work and interact with their families and friends. The participation contributes to successful aging because it allows older adults to fulfill their desires and contribute to the progress of their communities. Additionally, older adults engaging in the daily affairs of their societies are less likely to feel lonely because they are surrounded by people they know, an aspect that contributes to better emotional wellbeing.
References
Carver, L. F., Beamish, R., Phillips, S. P., & Villeneuve, M. (2018). A scoping review: social participation as a cornerstone of successful aging in place among rural older adults. Geriatrics , 3 (4), 75
De Leon, C. F. M. (2005). Social engagement and successful aging. European Journal of Ageing , 2 (1), 64-66.
