These days, seniors want more out of their lives. In previous generations, seniors didn't have the number of services and amenities that they now have today. Seniors are now more self-reliant and independent. While this is a welcome change from the age old adage that seniors must remain sedentary, it doesn't necessarily mean that the attention to their physical and mental health is up to par.  

Although seniors are receiving better health care overall, we need to remember that their deteriorating health correlates with their age. A solution is needed so that seniors can be well taken care of.

There are many components to being healthy. It is not only important for seniors to practice regular physical exercise—a healthy social life is important as well. One of the leading causes of death in seniors is depression, which can arise from loneliness. When seniors are engaged with the world around them, the benefit positively. It is integral that seniors have supportive social contacts and interactions with the people around them.

Human beings are a social species. If any person ignores these natural social instincts it can have very harmful effects on their physical and mental needs; this applies to seniors, as well. The risk of dementia increases when seniors ignore their social needs.

However, isolation can be subjective. Just because a senior lives alone does not mean that they are lonely.  There are many seniors who prefer to live on their own, and find comfort in reading books or practicing solo hobbies.  

If you want to determine whether a senior is truly lonely or not, you have to look for some of these signs.

1. Seniors who are isolated tend to use fewer health and social services. They believe that they are getting all the help they need from their family.
2.  If a senior is isolated, their mail box is usually full. Their refrigerators may be under stocked and canned foods could be past their expiration date. Seniors who are lonely tend to completely disengage from the world; this can lead them to ignore things that need to be done outside the home.
3.  Seniors who are lonely tend to indulge in unhealthy habits, such as not getting any exercise, as well as maintaining a poor diet.

In order to help these seniors, there are a number of different steps you can take.

1. Try to boost their social contact through the help of social networking tools such as Facebook or Skype. This will be especially helpful for seniors who are physically weaker, and may not be able to go outside every day.
2. Engage the seniors in a hobby or a class, such as gardening or learning a new language. This will help them to stay mentally active.
3. The top option would be to find a center for senior care Jefferson. Here, the seniors will get to live and interact with other seniors on a daily basis. Additionally, they can participate in many different kinds of events throughout the year. These senior care centers also have medical personnel who can attend to any kind of medical crisis or condition which the senior might have.