Living In A Care Home Reduces Social Isolation In The Elderly – Survey

A survey recently conducted by award-winning care provider, Hallmark Care Homes, suggests that residents feel less isolated and happier after moving into a care home, compared to where they were living previously.

In the survey, the Essex-based provider asked relatives with a loved one in one of the 17 Hallmark Care Homes across England and Wales to rate their happiness and level of activity, prior to and after they had moved into the care home. 74% of those who responded said that their loved ones were happier or just as happy after making the move into residential care and it was identified that the level of social activity enjoyed by residents had a direct and positive impact on their overall levels of happiness. Some 89% of residents now take part in social activities at least once a week compared to just 63% prior to joining a Hallmark community.

When asked what the residents living situation was prior to moving in, just 23% of people surveyed reported that their loved one lived with a partner before they moved into a care home. A staggering 59% had been living alone for over five years prior to their move.

Avnish Goyal, managing director for Hallmark Care Homes and chair of Care England said: “It is widely recognised that social isolation is a growing issue among older people. This is a problem which is likely to develop as time goes by given our aging population and the constraints on the social care budget.

“Our research shows that those living within our communities of care benefit from regular social interaction and take the opportunity to join planned activities, thereby enhancing their quality of life and increasing their levels of happiness. However, it is important to stress that the approach to social activity should be centred on the individual resident and their preferences which is why we make great efforts to find out as much about our residents as we can prior to moving in using our ‘About Me’ booklet which gives us insight into the social activities that they might enjoy.”

Avnish added: “At Hallmark Care Homes, we remain committed to providing all residents with the opportunity to live their lives to the full through continued investment in and development of our lifestyles programme.”

Some 300 relatives were sent surveys in April this year.