Experts say older people were happier and healthier in the past because they did more exercise and spent more time with family and friends, whereas many now suffer from loneliness and health problems. What are the causes of this and what are some solutions?

 

Experts say older people were happier and healthier in the past because they did more exercise and spent more time with family and friends, whereas many now suffer from loneliness and health problems. What are the causes of this and what are some solutions?

Old people are not exercising as much as they did in the past, and are lonely.   Concurrent times have witnessed radical changes in the lifestyles, and the worst affected are the elderly who unlike yesteryears suffer from isolation and are unable to engage in any health regime.There are several reasons to be blamed for this ,but there are ways to surmount this challenge.

The  primary reason for this phenomenon is the children leaving their homes and shifting to distant locales in the search of better employment and education, and they rarely return back once they achieve their goals abandoning  their aging parents on their own.This leaves those in their twilight years feeling desolate and insecure, making them restrict their outdoor activities greatly since with advancing age their ability to carry out their work on their own diminishes drastically which affects their physical,as well as mental health.

Similarly, even those who are living with their extended families are no better: their  children and their grandchildren are engaged in fulfilling their professional, academic,social and personal obligations and have little time to spare for their aged family members. The latter are usually found wandering aimlessly within their house as they have no one to accompany them outdoors or share their worries with.

However, there are certain remedies that can mitigate the situation. Communities should come forward to help senior citizens by establishing peer networks and facilities to help them  fulfill their desired objectives such as socializing, shopping and exercising,to name a few. Also, families should play their part by affording some time to their aging mothers and fathers.

Overall, modern ways of life and restructuring of families are taking a toll on the graying population and adversely affecting their physical and mental well being. Therefore, society and family members should take steps to alleviate miseries afflicting the older people.