Elderly should socialise to improve health resilience – research suggests

Going on holiday, reading newspapers, having meals out and spending time with friends and family can help to reduce an elderly man’s risk of frailty, a new study suggests.

Being more sociable can even be “beneficial” for frailty reversal among the elderly, researchers found.

Frailty refers to a person’s mental and physical resilience, or their ability to bounce back and recover from illness and injury, according to Age UK.

Researchers from Newcastle University wanted to examine whether social interactions and loneliness had an impact on frailty.

They examined data on more than 2,000 men over the age of 65 who were assessed eight years apart.

These assessments included information on their health and their social lives.

In particular, men were asked how much time they spent with friends and family; did voluntary work; played cards, games or bingo; participated in religious or social clubs; went on holiday and overnight trips; read books or newspapers; wrote letters; ate out in restaurants or visited the cinema, museum or attended sporting events.

Among those surveyed were 715 men taking part in the long-term British Regional Heart Study.

Writing in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers said that social connections may “impact the dynamic trajectory of frailty”.

They found that people who had a higher level of social activity when they were first assessed had a 31% reduced risk of frailty.

Those who increased their social activity during the eight-year period also had a 23% reduced risk of developing frailty, according to the study, which was part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Meanwhile, a higher level of social engagement and an increase in social activity over time both appeared to be beneficial in the reversal of frailty, the researchers wrote.

Among people from the UK involved in the study, a higher level of loneliness at the start of the study and an increase in loneliness during the observation period raised the risk of developing frailty.

Senior author of the research, Sheena Ramsay, a professor of public health and epidemiology at Newcastle University, said: “Our study shows that frailty is not inevitable.

“Some people recover from early stages of frailty – becoming more socially active could be one of the factors that can make this happen.”

Dr Ziyi Cai, first author of the study from Newcastle University, added: “People who are socially connected may have friends and loved ones supporting them to have healthier lives and access to healthcare, which could ward off frailty.

“On the other hand, people who are more isolated and feel lonely may be less active, less likely to get the care they need for their health, and sleep and eat less well – all of which can increase their risk of living with frailty.

“Age-friendly communities and networks that foster supportive social ties and activities could contribute to reducing the burden of frailty.”

Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said: “This study adds to a growing body of evidence that social activities are good for our health, while loneliness and isolation can be detrimental.

“Exercise, such as resistance or strength training and maintaining good nutrition, are major factors which can reduce frailty.

“There is a growing focus in the NHS on ‘social prescribing’, which helps people embrace doing new things in their local area. Trying new group activities like volunteering, for those who can, may help to keep living well for longer.”

According to the British Geriatrics Society, around one in 10 people over the age of 65 has frailty, rising to around a quarter of those aged 85 and over.