Community
Social support and networks can play a key role in an individual’s overall health. Older adults especially struggle with the compounding effects of pandemic-related social isolation on their habits, mood, and general well-being.
This month, we share scientific research pointing to the fact that strong social ties can improve health and that we are, indeed, stronger together.
Regular Group Exercise For Balanced Health in Older Adults
Aging can be a potentially isolating experience, especially with COVID-related quarantines and social distancing.
Exercise has shown to be effective in fighting the effects of sedentary behavior, such as loss of muscle mass, falls, and even frailty. This is great news, but what extra step can older adults take to find balance and enjoy their lives in their golden years?
Do it together! 🛡️ In this study of regular group exercise in older adults, participants felt a sense of security and social connection through caring for and supporting each other. Although they still perceived that they were aging physically and cognitively, they were more satisfied and felt better while exercising amongst a group of their peers.
Simply put – when we exercise together, we can support and motivate each other, which each have significant effects on maintaining exercise habits long-term.
Social Networks for Improved Overall Health in Those with Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative condition that affects almost one-third of Americans over 65.
Last month, we discussed how OA affects our joints, but how does OA affect an individual’s social connections and health from a larger community lens?
This article examined the effects of osteoarthritis on a person’s social networks, health behaviors, and health-related quality of life.
Authors found that those with OA were more likely to live alone, have fewer social gatherings, and have a significantly lower health-related quality of life. On the other hand, strong social networks can lower the death risk of older adults, positively affect their quality of life, and provide the information or motivation necessary for health-promoting behaviors.
Attending a group exercise class (like AgeProof Your Body) can improve health in more ways than one! In addition to building strength in our muscles, joints, and heart, we can build strength in our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and peers, in order to cultivate social support and shared experiences.
Synchronizing Physiology through Story
Previous scientific studies have shown that people synchronize their physiology (e.g. heart rate or respiratory rate) with others nearby, such as during a conversation or during a live performance.
As it turns out, this physiological synchronization can also occur between two people who are not even in the same room. But how?
As this article explains – through story. Two people listening to the same story – even if they are by themselves in separate rooms – will experience a synchronization of their heart rate. This physiological coordination among individuals relates to our brain's construction of a similar narrative through the processing of information and stimuli.
Shared experience is one of many ways to bond with other humans. When we take part in activities as a group, we experience a subtle shift in our neurophysiology, as our brain constructs its own narrative.
Each week in our live classes, we hope to create an exercise “narrative” that synchronizes our movements as a community and hopefully bring us together while social isolation continues to be the societal norm.
Social Isolation & Disease Burden
Older adults with strong social networks are typically more active and have a sense of connection with a more positive quality of life.
On the other hand, older adults who are more socially isolated may be more vulnerable to adverse outcomes for various reasons, including:
Deconditioning from sedentary behavior
Depression or anxiety from isolation
Lack of access to support systems that can aid in accessing services needed for optimal recovery
In this cohort study, social isolation before an ICU hospitalization was associated with a greater disability burden, as well as higher mortality rates in the year following critical illness.
Being interconnected can help us:
🤝 Stay in our best physical and mental health from the start.
🤝 Feel supported when illness (moderate or severe) catches us off guard.
🤝 Get back on track in the recovery process when we need it most.
At AgeProof Your Body, we not only reap the benefits of exercise, but we reap the benefits of community, positivity, and fun. Join us today to experience the benefits firsthand! 🛡️
References:
Komatsu H, Yagasaki K, Saito Y, Oguma Y. Regular group exercise contributes to balanced health in older adults in Japan: a qualitative study. BMC Geriatr. 2017;17(1):190. Published 2017 Aug 22. doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0584-3
Hong M, Shin H, De Gagne JC. Social networks, health-promoting behaviors, and health-related quality of life in older adults with and without arthritis. PLoS One. 2019;14(7):e0220180. Published 2019 Jul 24. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220180
Pérez R, Madsen J, Banellis L, et al. Conscious processing of narrative stimuli synchronizes heart rate between individuals, Cell Reports, Volume 36, Issue 11, 2021, 109692,ISSN 2211-1247, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109692.
Falvey JR, Cohen AB, O’Leary JR, Leo-Summers L, Murphy TE, Ferrante LE. Association of Social Isolation With Disability Burden and 1-Year Mortality Among Older Adults With Critical Illness. JAMA Intern Med. 2021;181(11):1433–1439. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.5022
