#social connectedness

[neurosciencenews]

Scholars weigh in on new ideas about autism

A new study calls into question many existing theories about the association between lack of social connectedness and autism.

[oupacademic]

The industrialized world faces a rapidly aging population, and it has become more important than ever to understand what influences the wellbeing of older people. A recent article from Work, Aging and Retirement focuses on the importance of social connectedness among older adults, and the kinds of factors that can strengthen this sentiment later in life. 

The article also poses the question of whether or not older adults should consider re-entering paid work after retirement, as recent research has shown that the decision to remain in the workforce in later years can actually increase overall wellbeing and social connectedness. Employment can provide more than just a regular paycheck - it can also offer an expanded friend group, increased social participation, and a greater sense of purpose and inclusion.

Read the article from Work, Aging and Retirement.

Image provided by Unsplash

[random-bookquotes]

Being someone who is single, lives alone and is freelance, I spend an awful lot of time on my own, so, for me, carving out time in my week for “social connectedness” is something really important, whereas for others who can just stay in with their partner, they might not feel the need to get out there as much.

Nicola Slawson, Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms

[dailydovecare]

Embracing Wellness Through Companionship Services

Loneliness and isolation are growing concerns for seniors, with profound implications for their mental and physical health. Fortunately, companionship services that home care agencies offer are emerging as a powerful antidote, offering a transformative impact on their overall well-being.

[wibehavioralhealth]

The Importance of Social Connectedness

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023) defines social connectedness as “the degree to which people have and perceive a desired number, quality, and diversity of relationships that create a sense of belonging, and being cared for, valued, and supported.” In other words, social connectedness relates not only to having established connections, but it also relates to the level in which those connections elicit feelings of belonging, value, and support. Obviously, everybody has varying preferences related to who they interact with – the number of interactions, the quality of the interactions, and the diversity of the interactions can be personalized and entirely unique to the individual. Essentially, the feeling of social connectedness is entirely subjective; there is no “magic number” of friends or interactions that everyone must reach. Rather, as long as one feels socially connected, then they truly are socially connected.

That being stated, it is vastly important that we achieve and maintain some form of social connectedness. There is an incredible array of benefits that doing so can provide.

Social connectedness is beneficial in that it:

Can help with recovery from pre-existing depression and anxiety

Increases self-esteem

Elicits greater empathy, trust, and cooperation

Helps to lower your risk of suicidal and violent actions

Helps promote healthy lifestyle choices (e.g., eating habits and exercise)

Improves sleep

Strengthens your immune system

Can prevent heart disease

Can prevent stroke

Can prevent dementia

Can prevent depression and anxiety

Helps to recover from diseases more quickly

Helps prevent death from chronic diseases

It can be difficult to improve social connectedness or even establish it in the first place. Here are a few possible points to focus on when working toward desired social connectedness:

Involve yourself in activities and group settings with folks who share similar desires, interests, and values to create a sense of belonging

Continue to talk to your support network when you are struggling or feel disconnected

Be a part of somebody else’s support network – helping others can make us feel connected

Place more emphasis on social connections that are more meaningful and supportive – nurture these relationships to continue to develop your social connectedness

Communicate when conflict or difficulties within support systems arise – communication is highly important to preserve social supports

Remain as physically healthy as possible – being physically present (not just virtually) for activities and interactions with others can foster social connectedness, especially at the start. Activities like having meals together, attending events together, and exercising together can all be highly beneficial

Talk to your primary care provider or mental health clinician if you feel lonely and isolated – they can help you to come up with more effective ways to become more socially connected

For additional resources, visit here.

[mantra4ia]

I'm going out on a limb here since I've seen how the "celebrities singing John Lennon's Imagine" went down.

But out of wonder, and hope to keep some laughter and joy alive in the time of coronavirus, I have to risk the question:

Why aren't the everyday people posting "Near, far, wherever you are" isolation videos / serenades?

If there was ever a time for the wise words of Miss Celine Dion to reach us where we live and lift us up, it's now. I feel like we're missing a prime opportunity to use the internet's viral capacity as a force for good.

[bobonbooks]

Physical Distancing, Not Social Distancing

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I live in Ohio, and have been quite grateful for the leadership of our governor, Mike Dewine, and the director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton (who grew up in Youngstown!) during this Covid-19 pandemic. During Dr. Acton’s briefingyesterday, she made a point that caught my attention. Quoting someone else who she did not name, she mentioned that it…

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[brandondonnelly]

Our social connectedness

Economists at Facebook, Harvard, Princeton and NYU recently analyzed anonymous Facebook data in order to study our social connectedness. The New York Times’ Upshot wrote about it here and it is a must read.

There are a number of interesting takeaways from the study. One of them is that geography, distance, and political boundaries actually matter a great deal when it comes to our connectedness. 

In other words, Americans are more like to be connected to someone nearby -- within county or state boundaries -- than they are to someone further away who may be infinitely more similar. This may seem somewhat intuitive.

But at the same time, having a dispersed network also suggests certain things. Here’s the relationship that they discovered:

These networks are important in part because of other patterns that are correlated with them. Counties with more dispersed networks — where a smaller share of Facebook friends are located nearby, or among the nearest 50 million people — are on average richer, more educated and have longer life expectancies. Places that are more closely connected to one another also have more migration, trade and patent citations between them.

Counties that are more geographically isolated in the index are more likely to have lower labor force participation and economic mobility, and they have higher rates of teenage births. Some of the most economically distressed parts of the country appear to be the most disconnected: Among the 10 U.S. counties with the highest share of friends within 50 miles, six are in Kentucky.

Again, it is worth checking out the full article. There’s also an interactive map to play around with.