Avoiding Social Isolation in Older Adults Over the Holidays Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 26 November 2019 06:10 AM America/Los_Angeles Avoiding Social Isolation in Older Adults Over the Holidays Gypsy Hartman stretches in the park surrounding the senior center where she's attended Cedars-Sinai exercise classes that aim to help older adults avoid falls and reduce social isolation. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Gypsy Hartman stretches in the park surrounding the senior center where she's attended Cedars-Sinai exercise classes that aim to help older adults avoid falls and reduce social isolation. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. The holidays are supposed to be a time for celebration and togetherness, but they can be tough on older adults who run a high risk of being socially isolated. Social isolation can be easily overlooked as a health concern even though it can have the same negative impact on an older adult's health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to Sonja Rosen, MD, chief of Geriatric Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. "The medical community and government leaders are increasingly recognizing loneliness as a significant public health issue for older adults," Rosen said. "There are many ways to combat social isolation, especially over the holidays when it's easy to feel alone." Isolation can be a health risk for older adults even if they prefer to live alone, like Gypsy Hartman, 67, who prizes her privacy and freedom. Like many baby boomers, she prefers to keep living at home on her own. After suffering a broken leg last year, Hartman joined exercise classes offered at no cost by the Cedars-Sinai Geriatrics Program and nonprofit partners at local community centers. Supported by a grant from the AARP Foundation, the Leveraging Exercise to Age in Place classes bring older adults together for group workouts that aim to help prevent falls and combat social isolation. Gypsy Hartman walks in the park surrounding the senior center where she's attended Cedars-Sinai exercise classes that aim to help older adults avoid falls and reduce social isolation. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Gypsy Hartman walks in the park surrounding the senior center where she's attended Cedars-Sinai exercise classes that aim to help older adults avoid falls and reduce social isolation. Photo by Cedars-Sinai. Hartman enjoys lifting light weights, stretching and doing calisthenics in the class held at a senior center near her home. In addition to strengthening her muscles, it's provided an opportunity to connect with others. "It's nice to get out and be around other people. It gives me something to look forward to and a sense of wellbeing," Hartman said. "I really wanted to get stronger, and it feels good to stretch and build up my strength." The classes-light or enhanced strength training and tai chi-have been shown to decrease the risk of falling in clinical research. Cedars-Sinai has been studying the fitness program to determine if the classes also decrease social isolation. Early data suggests they do. "We hope that these classes improve social connectedness among participants and increase their ability to lead independent, vibrant lives," said geriatrician Allison Mays, MD, MAS, who is leading the study. In addition to group fitness, Cedars-Sinai geriatricians suggest the following to fight loneliness over the holidays:Volunteer. Nonprofit organizations need help serving meals, caring for animals or reading with kids.Tap community resources. Recreation centers, libraries, museums, places of worship and colleges host free and low-cost community events.Reconnect with friends and family. The holidays are a good excuse to call loved ones and catch up.Seek medical advice. A geriatrician can connect older adults with other resources and potential treatments. For information about the exercise program, contact Katrina Rosales at 310-248-6242 or [email protected]. Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Preventing Falls in Older Adults Related Stories RSS feed - Related Stories (opens in new window) View all headlines - Related Stories Cedars-Sinai Offers Program to Catch Older Adults Before They Fall May 06, 2022 06:00 AM America/Los_Angeles Falls and broken bones are common among older adults, but they're not a natural part of aging. 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The program will broaden the scope of age-related care at Cedars-Sinai—with a … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Contact Marni Usheroff marni.usheroff@cshs.org Share this release Avoiding Social Isolation in Older Adults Over the Holidays Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Search Our Newsroom Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay: Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW: Want New Omicron Booster? Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home