Wondering if inviting Grandma to lunch this Sunday is a good idea ?
The answer is...definitely yes :-)
A recent scientific study has shown that regularly inviting our elders to spend time with us extends their life expectancy.
Better still, it improves the very quality of their life... and ours too!
Indeed, researchers from the University of San Francisco, California, have noted that loneliness plays a major role in the physical and mental decline of seniors. Explanations:
To achieve this result, their study followed daily 1,600 people aged 71 on average.
They found that, regardless of the socioeconomic factors and health status of the subjects, loneliness systematically increased the mortality rate.
Indeed, about 23% of people in the study who were alone died within 6 years of the experience.
On the contrary, only 14% of those surrounded daily by family and/or friends have disappeared.
"The need to have people who know us, who value us, who bring us happiness, is present throughout our lives.
And this need never goes away, even with age," recalls Martine Durand, geriatrics specialist at Lille Hospital.
Seniors place a very high value on friendships, more than their children or grandchildren.
Throughout their lives, they have been able to develop their ability to develop strong human relationships, devoid of superficiality.
This is the reason why the elderly have such qualities to maintain a quality friendly relationship.
"Seniors are friends who are often very tolerant of other people's imperfections and singularities. They are much more so than young adults" notes Martine Durand.
"You bring a lot to a friendship when you're older and more experienced. You know what's worth fighting for and what's not."
In addition to inviting our relatives of a certain age to our home, it is therefore very important to maintain friendships with them, whether it is our mother, people in our family or those around us.
It is often thought that older people thrive on being independent, but living in an adapted environment designed to make everyday life like this easier is beneficial to them.
These specific arrangements are so many chances to feel good, to bond with others and therefore to flourish.
Even better!
Not only does having a good time with grandma and grandpa help them thrive, it's also good for us.
Why is such a relationship mutually positive?
Quite simply because our elders know that companionship and human relations are crucial for their daily well-being.
And we can take advantage of their life stories, their experiences, their tenderness and, most importantly, this famous secret recipe for the cake of our childhood... :-)
