Sharing a long lunch with family and friends is one of the true joys in life. Whether the venue is home, at a friend’s place, in a park, or at a restaurant, as the lunch is planned I look forward to sharing delicious food and lovely wine. But what really makes the occasions enjoyable and memorable is the conversation, the stories, the banter, the jokes, the laughter and the love.
Yes, good food is a requirement, but I have that basic need fulfilled in a variety of settings. It is the social engagement throughout the lunch, a way of addressing the psychological needs of belonging and love set out in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, that draws me to such occasions. As I age, I do not wish to imagine my life without being able to participate in these lunches, or the numerous other social engagements, that are so meaningful for me.
As a species, humans are wired to be social. Social pain is as real as physical pain. Research has demonstrated that being socially isolated has an enormous negative effect on our health and well-being. People isolated from their community suffer from higher rates of illness and greater cognitive decline. To quote Associate Professor Genevieve Dingle of the UQ School of Psychology, “Social isolation has been shown to pose a greater health threat than smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise,” and according to AARP (American Association of Retired People) living in isolation is effectively as bad as smoking fifteen cigarettes per day.
More than a quarter of people over the age of 65 in Australia live alone. In the UK, the number is higher: one third of older people live alone. In the United States, as many as 50 million people suffer from social isolation. Covid lockdowns are exacerbating the isolation and uncertainty for this already vulnerable group. Many older people who receive care at home now have significantly reduced service contact hours due to concerns about the spread of Covid. Community is necessary for senior citizens. We need to rethink and design new ways of creating connection into the community for our older people.
Now, more than ever, is the time for organisations to act. There is a clear opportunity for Home Care or Domiciliary Care Providers to unlock the value in disrupting the scourge of social isolation.
Organisations that invest the time to closely review what they already know about their clients and then engage with them, their families, and carers to identify the most suitable ways for clients to be supported will be more able to discover new growth opportunities and be defined as a leader in this space.
To start, I would recommend having some in depth conversations with clients and their support networks to understand the issues that need to be solved. Understanding your clients’ perspectives at a deep level is the first step in thinking through how to design a new way of working that solves the problems you already know about, and those you discover.
Many domiciliary care clients initially react negatively to the idea of engaging with others more, particularly if it’s with people they do not know. This is understandable. They may say they are less interested in the things that they use to enjoy, they do not have the energy or motivation to participate in activities and that they lack the confidence to engage with others. These thoughts and feelings are often described by clinicians as signs of the negative impact of social isolation. Your team should not view them as a signal to withdraw from conversations about the benefits of being supported to participate in new types of social engagements.
Let me end where I started: the joy and benefits of engaging with others as you share a meal. I came across this short TEDx talk and in it, the presenter talks about the impact of social isolation on her grandmother and mother, and what she is doing to help. She reflects on the benefits derived from her family’s “tribal” ritual of eating dinner together. Well, whilst it is often said that it takes a village or a tribe to raise a child, it also takes a village, and a village that includes Home Care Providers, to maintain our elders’ quality of life.
Make a start. Bring senior citizens to your table, whether it is online, or on the phone. Share food. Share stories. In this very challenging time in all of our lives, unlock the value of your community.
Peter Sydes is Director and Practice Lead Human Services at CapFeather. Peter has held C-Suite and Board positions for over 25 years leading growth and development across profit-for-purpose and for-profit entities. Peter is a passionate advocate for the aged care and disability support sectors.