Importance of Visiting Relatives

As we age, visiting relatives as regularly as we can is essential. Seniors face increased rates of loneliness, especially as other figures in our lives begin to move toward the next phases in their lives. It can be tough to keep up with relatives when children grow up and begin their own families, or move away, but prioritizing those connections can be really meaningful for everyone.

May 18th is National Visit Your Relatives Day, and we encourage you to plan a visit with your family soon! Visiting with family can help everyone involved to feel less lonely, and to feel more at peace being in familiar company. It can also encourage reminiscing about old times, laughing about fond memories, and providing the love produced by really knowing someone, and feeling that you are truly known.

Visits with family can help to boost moods and can even provide a unique opportunity for your relatives to become acquainted with life in your senior living community. Not sure what to do? The activity calendar is a great place to start! From arts and crafts to music and outdoor activities, there’s always something going on that your family could join you for.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, frequent in-person visits aren’t always possible. When visits are few and far between, there are some other methods we can use to keep in touch with our relatives. For example, we can talk on the phone, send handwritten letters, emails or text messages, and of course using video chatting. Video chatting is an excellent way to get some sort of face-to-face time with your loved ones, even if time and space don’t allow for that to happen in-person as often as you’d like.

When possible, regular visits with your family can help to provide your loved ones with peace of mind, knowing that you participate in a vibrant community life right here in your senior living neighborhood!