Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that loneliness plays a large role in the decline so often associated with old age.
The study followed 1,600 adults, with an average age of 71 — despite controlling for socioeconomic status and health, the lonely consistently held higher mortality rates.
Nearly 23% of lonely participants died within six years of the study, as opposed to only 14% of those that reported adequate companionship.
The elderly place great value in those relationships, so much so that they often overlook a great deal more than their children or even their grandchildren do. It comes down to important relational skills, Rosemary Blieszner, a professor of human development at Virginia Tech, also told The New York Times.
Spending quality time with your parents and Grandparents helps them, but it benefits us, as well — the symbiotic relationship is undeniable. They get the companionship and conversation so crucial to every day life, and we get their stories, their hugs and, best of all, those famous, secret recipe meals.
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