Have you called Grandma today?
Friendship networks are crucial for social development and general well being. This need for social interaction does not decrease with age, though it seems the elderly are among the loneliest age group. As the amount of friends in a network increases, so does the lifespan of the person at the center of the graph. In addition to this, the stronger the ties are, the better off a person is. For example, if Gertrude has a strong triadic closure, Martha and Rose, Gertrude is more likely to be happier and healthier. Martha may know Gertrude is supposed to take her medication twice a day, but Rose may not. If Gertrude is hanging out with Rose, Martha can call Rose and let her know to remind Gertrude to take her pill. If Rose and Martha didn’t know each other, then Gertrude would not get the medication she needs. It’s a silly example, but it probably happens more often than we think.
As people age, we tend to forget about them in our everyday lives. Honestly, how many times have you called your parents this week, let alone your grandparents? It is extremely important to maintain ties with the older people we know. Their social networks start to diminish because their lifelong friends or older family members have passed away. Their network changes, and they become more connected to younger people such as children and grandchildren. The closer familial ties are, the less likely Grandma is to get sick. Despite still having a network of family, the health benefits only seem to arise from strong ties. Almost half of elderly participants in a study reported loneliness, and 65% of those who reported feeling lonely live with a spouse or other family members. The strength of the ties are more important than the number of ties. Calling your grandparents more often may seem like a chore, but talking to you may just be the highlight of their day. The ties become stronger the more frequently you talk to them, and they reap more benefits from the relationship. Elderly who report having strong ties and many social interactions are at a lesser risk of developing dementia, depression, high blood pressure, and a plethora of other illnesses.
– mrg88