Reading is not only a great source of entertainment, it comes with numerous health benefits as well. October is National Reading Group Month, encouraging everyone to gather together over a good book to share time and connect. When you combine the health benefits of reading with the social perks of being in a reading group, reading can be one of the best things your aging loved one can do for their health. Having companion care at home services can help your loved one overcome some physical limitations that may prevent them from reading easily.
Why Reading Groups Matter
A book club or reading group is a great way to stay engaged with a book and have some accountability for reading consistently. In addition to keeping the readers in the group on track, it builds community over a shared interest. For many seniors who feel isolated or lonely, a reading group can be a great place to find friends and socialize. Reading Groups often have discussion questions that spark new thoughts around the material, providing your loved one with new information or a new way to look at what she read.
Health Benefits of Reading
Whether your loved one chooses to read a book as part of a reading club, or on her own, reading will help her in some very important areas of her health.
Reduction in feelings of loneliness. Even reading a book alone in a corner of a library can help someone feel connected to the people around them. It can also promote staying out in public places for longer periods, increasing that feeling of community.
Memory Enhancement. Reading works the part of the brain that uses memory. As your loved one reads through a story, she needs to remember who each character was and what happened in previous chapters.
Reduced Stress. Reading is a great escape! While it’s important to take care of serious problems, many individuals struggle with stress related to worrying and anxiety over things that cannot be controlled. Reading takes the mind off of those things as it focuses on the story unfolding in the book.
Improved Sleep. Developing a habit of reading before bed, helps the brain to pick up on cues when it’s time to go to sleep and shut down. It can be a great part of a bedtime routine.
Increased Confidence in Decision-making. Reading helps the reader see multiple sides to an issue within the story and that can help in real life as well.
Delayed Onset of Dementia. Reading can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders.
Companion Care at Home Can Help with Reading
If your loved one has physical limitations that make reading difficult, it doesn’t mean she has to give up on reading altogether. There are great advancements in audiobooks, as well as using devices with large print to help your loved one see the words if that is where she struggles.
Others may need the help of someone who provides companion care at home. Having a companion care at home provider read can be a great solution if your loved one is blind or unable to hold a book. This companion care at home provider can sit with your loved one and read to her if needed, not only bringing her into the stories she loves but also providing companionship and connection.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Companion Care at Home Services in Pompano Beach FL, please get in touch with the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida including Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward County.
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