Over 6 million Americans suffer from dementia, and there are people dedicated to finding ways to help with it every single day. 

While we don’t fully understand the ramifications of the illness, we do know the ways to help dementia patients improve their lives. One of the most important ways to do that is by giving them a rewarding social life. 

Here are three reasons why socialization matters for people with dementia:

Improving Brain Health

The more opportunities that people with dementia have to socialize and experience new things, the more they can get in the way of dementia progressing. 

When you talk with other people, you use a different set of brain processes than you do for thinking. You exercise your emotional perception, your knowledge, and the way you see the world around you. Performing this function can be vital in keeping the brains of dementia patients working. 

Emotional Connections

Anything that stimulates our brains in new ways can be powerful for helping with dementia. Interacting with new people can spark new connections that are easily reinforced with positive feelings. With new connections and positive feelings working together, memories created are powerful and potentially permanent. 

Socializing with old friends is just as important for firing and refreshed synapses that have been in the brain for a while. This gives the opportunity to reflect on positive memories together. This mixture of emotions and memories is a great way to exercise the brain and help people with dementia feel a sense of belonging. Strengthening social circles preserves self-worth and prevents isolation for people with dementia. 

Eliminating Anxiety and Depression

Living in a place where there are lots to occupy a senior’s time means that there’s little time for anxiety and depression. People with dementia should remain productive and play a role in the lives of the people around them so that they’re less likely to feel anxious. 

Even simple tasks like time devoted to a phone call with a friend can help to keep anxiety under control. Stimulating the minds of dementia patients is key to quelling depression. 

It’s important to keep people with dementia socialized, engaged, and cared for in a space that they feel comfortable in. If you’re interested in learning more about the community at Oasis Dementia Care, please contact us.