Heliopolis Elderly Center

This time of year can be lonely for those without a family, so the Heliopolis Elderly Center has been busy helping out older persons during the Christmas season.

As the festive season brings happiness to many people worldwide, it could also impact some older persons' loneliness. The Brazilian Mental Health Foundation (at Hospital das Clinicas) has discovered that 19.7% of people aged 16 and over across Brazil showed symptoms of depression or anxiety. At the same time, the Office for National Statistics (IBGE) revealed in their reports that 5% of older adults in Brazil feel alone either 'often' or 'always.'

For those who are lonely, the Christmas period can tend to bring dread. This happens as they witness those around them enjoying the holiday season with their loved ones, and therefore their feelings of emotional isolation become worse.

On that note, older widowers living alone with long-term health conditions (like diabetes and high blood pressure) reported feeling lonely more frequently. In addition, older persons who have had to say goodbye to a loved one may become more aware that someone is no longer with them when they carry out traditions they used to enjoy doing as a couple. Everything from hanging up Christmas decorations to having a Christmas dinner can trigger these moments of sadness.

As the Christmas season has quickly come around, the Heliopolis Elderly Center has been working hard to provide a helping hand to elderly loved ones and neighbors throughout the holiday period. Here's some of what we have been up to…

Happiness within volunteering

Volunteering becomes more rewarding and thoughtful when carried out during the holiday season. There's nothing quite matching helping others and seeing their appreciation in how they respond to the acts of kindness and the cheerful looks on their faces. Lonely people can also find volunteering very helpful too. 

At the Heliopolis Elderly Center, we make sure you take the time to ask an elderly relative or neighbor if they'd need any help carrying out tasks around their homes this Christmas. Whether giving them a hand to put up decorations or tidying up their homes, we love to be helping while assisting older persons and giving them some company.

We involve our Older Persons in Christmas traditions at the Heliopolis Elderly Center. With that, there's no reason why we can't ask our older persons if they would be interested in getting involved in our fun-filled activities through the Christmas season. For example, they may enjoy Christmas BINGO, making homemade gifts for a friend, and helping us with our community Christmas tree display. Many of them are also involved in our choir, and they love to get involved in caroling - at other local community centers. We love to help them make holiday crafts so they can decorate their homes. Many of these activities are likely to remind them of their youth and can also help them envision many generations enjoying the holiday together.

We don't just use electronics to connect with the elderly during the Holiday Season.

Mobile devices and computers can heighten loneliness when people spend a lot of time on them. Dr. Ana, an assistant professor at PUC University and a specialist in family medicine, stated that loneliness could be "an invisible epidemic" masked by an individual's online persona.

Dr. Ana also pointed out that an individual's online persona can't reflect real-life emotions of loneliness. Therefore, be sure to take the time to see people in person, no matter how hectic the holiday season is.

"Being connected electronically isn't the same as in person," Dr. Ana acknowledged to the Heloppolis Elderly Center. "There's something about a person-to-person interaction that's generally better for our well-being. Maybe it's intangible. But I think being around other older people, and that reassurance, communication, or something as small as a smile or a touch; these are small things, but I think they're essential."

We at the Heliopolis Elderly Center could not agree more...please help us make this Christmas even more special.

Links:

• Instituto Velho Amigo - Heliopolis Elderly Center

Being a part of the Heliopolis Elderly Center community can be very good for older persons. They connect with people their age and enjoy some great activities. Our community's arts and crafts classes are widely sought after because they bring a sense of expression. Plus, they provide a variety of benefits, as you will notice in the photos below.

One of the significant advantages that arts and crafts bring for our seniors is that they keep their minds stimulated. Arts and crafts encourage older adults to express themselves while also preventing any emotional illness. Dealing with problems can be challenging, but arts and crafts in a community can be very refreshing.

Besides, creating something beautiful they can take home with them. It gives our seniors more confidence. It offers a sense of self-esteem and more competence than you can imagine! We have found that our older adults who try out arts and crafts feel that sense of competence and happiness. It makes them feel better, happier, and more focused on the days ahead.

Then there are all of the physical health benefits. Thanks to using their hands and creating art, seniors can boost their blood flow naturally. They can also enhance the overall dexterity in their arms, fingers, and hands. It’s a terrific opportunity and one of those things that can make a huge difference.

Creating art also allows seniors to get satisfaction and enjoyment, knowing they made something they enjoy. Plus, it keeps their mind active, bringing in more creativity and pushing the boundaries innovatively and robustly. To make things better, seniors can use this as a way to talk about the things in their life, relieve pressure, and boost their cognitive functions naturally. It’s a fantastic opportunity and one of those things that can help improve the experience wonderfully and creatively.

When an older person creates art, this eliminates boredom. Arts and Crafts classes really bring seniors the best of both worlds, thus bringing in the efficiency and support they may need. It can take trial and error to manage these things, but the benefits here at the Heliopolis Elderly Center are clear and very impressive.

Arts and crafts also bring identity and power, making it easy for our seniors to talk about the things they are going through at home. The arts and crafts experience also brings in a wonderful sense of socialization. We have seen how they can connect with others within their community, share ideas, and talk about the great and sometimes difficult things in their lives.

Links:

• Instituto Velho Amigo - Heliopolis Elderly Center