25.07.2021, 07:47
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We often consider old age to be a lonely time when a person loses most of the past social ties. This is partly true. Older people gradually stop communicating with colleagues at work, the circle of friends is rapidly narrowing. However, relationships, both close and more superficial, are very important for a person at any age. In any home for the elderly and disabled, all conditions are created so that guests can communicate with each other, since social ties become especially important when a person retires or falls ill.
Is loneliness in old age an inevitability or a choice?
Loneliness is a frequent companion of old age. Elderly people are moving away from their usual active lifestyle and can no longer visit friends or relatives as often as before. In addition, professional contacts are gradually being lost, family ties are weakening.
At the same time, loneliness is also a question of the relationship of the person himself and the world. Often, older people consciously choose isolation, with which they protect themselves from the misunderstanding and rejection of others. It happens that old people feel more lonely when they live in a family, side by side with relatives, children and grandchildren.
Loneliness in old age is also aggravated by the fact that modern society is focused on young people, and the needs of the elderly, who, by the way, are becoming more and more, are somehow forgotten. The way out of this situation is in a family where elderly people are taken care of, their opinion is taken into account.
What relationships are important for older people?
The feeling of loneliness arises when a person lacks ,as they say, a"native soul". He may have a lot of contacts, but at the same time he feels that no one really understands him. Often, a nurse who takes care of elderly people at home becomes a close person, due to the fact that she is ready to listen to her patient, does not argue with him and is attentive to his condition.
That is why marital relations become very important in old age. The feelings between husband and wife seem to gain a second life. Two spouses who have lived side by side for many years can become more respectful and attentive to each other, their relations become equal, full of understanding and patience.
It is also not surprising that old age is not at all an obstacle to starting a family. The number of marriages concluded after the age of 60 is steadily growing. Perhaps it is only in old age that many people begin to feel a real need for intimacy and spiritual warmth.
Marital ties become especially significant in old age. The death of one of the partners often leads to a serious illness and the death of the other. If a widowed man copes with his grief, he finds a friend or girlfriend in order not to be alone.
As for women, they experience a serious emotional burden in old age caused by the loss of attractiveness. That is why the relationship with her husband becomes a real outlet and support. In addition, the ability to take care of a loved one gives meaning to her life.
Thus, relationships in old age are not only desirable, but also necessary. They can delay the onset of senility and allow a person to enjoy life much longer.
