Continuing our celebration of #OlderAmericansMonth we are sharing with you seven tips to help you live longer, stronger, and better by improving your relationships and conquering loneliness
Do the dishwasher boogie.
Pick a chore you both hate, and turn it into a nightly dance party. Dancing together in the kitchen or anywhere in your house will remind you of how much fun you both are.
Make eye contact over dinner.
Hold each other’s gaze for 60 seconds. It will help you find the grace, beauty or soul in each other’s eyes!
Give Friday night thanks.
Share three things you’re grateful for every Friday night over dinner (or any other night of the week). This is a terrific habit that will give you a new perspective on your family members.
Keep your list of loved ones close.
Write three to five names on a Post-it note and stick it on your fridge or near the computer, or post their photos. Typically, we’re happier if we feel deeply connected to a few relationships we want to prioritize rather than trying to stay in touch with everyone.
And make short, regular check-ins to loved ones.
A study showed that even a few 10-minute phone calls each week can reduce loneliness by 20 percent.
Call one long-lost friend every week.
We often talk ourselves out of reaching out, thinking we’d be interrupting them or they won’t welcome hearing from us. But being the one who initiates contact can be a great gift — and another way to cure loneliness. In a study published in 2020 in the journal Heart, male and female cardiac patients who reported feeling lonely were two and three times more likely to die, respectively, a year after their hospital discharge.
Give little gifts.
A handwritten card, flowers, an act of service or a texted photo are examples of how we can bring joy to both ourselves and those who may be lonely or anxious.
Reference: AARP 60 Ways to Live Longer, Stronger, and Better
