The Role of Social Interaction in Promoting Healthy Aging: A Report

This report delves into the critical role of social interaction in promoting healthy aging. It begins by introducing the concept and its impact, highlighting how social relationships and engagement contribute to physical and mental well-being in older adults. The report then explores various factors influencing healthy aging, including psychological and social aspects, and examines the effects of loneliness, depression, and participation in social activities. It further discusses how social engagement fosters positive health behaviors, reducing the risk of diseases and improving overall quality of life. The conclusion summarizes the findings, emphasizing the importance of social interaction for successful aging and identifies potential gaps in the existing literature. The report references multiple studies, including those by Kim & Young (2017), Courtin & Knapp (2017), and Cherry et al. (2013), to support its arguments and provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Running head: SOCIAL INTERACTION AND HEALTHY AGING
SOCIAL INTERACTION AND HEALTHY AGING

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SOCIAL INTERACTION AND HEALTHY AGING
Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Impact of the social relationship on healthy ageing.....................................................................3
Factors influencing healthy ageing..............................................................................................4
Social engagement on positive health behaviour on healthy ageing...........................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Reference list...................................................................................................................................8
Appendix........................................................................................................................................10

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SOCIAL INTERACTION AND HEALTHY AGING
Introduction
Relationship, as well as social interactions, facilitate the older adult in safeguarding
against certain illness by boosting the immune system. In addition to that, it conveys health
benefits such as decreased level of risk for cardiovascular problems as well as depression or
other problems. This particular study will highlight the factors that influence healthy ageing.
Impact of the social relationship on healthy ageing
As per the case study provided Fredric Arum is a 78 years old Australian citizen. Due to
his old age-related issues, his general physician suggested being more social. In this context, as
mentioned by Kim & Young (2017), social participation increases mental satisfaction. It is
helpful to maintain physical fitness and prevents disabilities. The positive impact of social
interaction reduces stress and anxiety among older people. Limited locomotors activities and
chronic diseases among older people are said to be related to a lack of social interaction. To
conduct this research author Kim surveyed 6892 persons aged 45 years. The result of this
research showed that older people are vulnerable to chronic diseases and severe depression. The
results also showed that older people with high and moderate level of cognitive function
impairment have less participation in social activities. The author also mentioned the lack of
awareness related to dementia in society. Awareness can create a supportive environment for
older people. As opined by Courtin & Knapp (2017), isolation influences mental health as well
as several other health issues in terms of older adults and affect healthy ageing.
On the other hand, Han et al. (2015) mentioned that each stage of life is influenced by the
previous stage of life. Quality of lifestyle has an impact on the health of older people. Healthy
ageing can be defined as a process which can be supported by social, psychological and physical
health. To identify the impact of healthy ageing Han conducted self-questioning survey on 171
people aged between 45 to 77 years. The result of this survey showed loneliness and depression

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hurt healthy ageing. Psychological factors such as ego integrity, self-achievement and self
esteems identify health conditions among older people.
Results of this research have presented that participation in social activities minimises the
risks of depression and loneliness. As mentioned by Sadana et al. (2016), community home
settings, proper infrastructure and availability of social interaction can be helpful for health
maintenance among older people.
From the results of these two studies, it can be highlighted that social interaction and
social activities play a big role in the maintenance of health in older people. As stated by Jeste et
al. (2016), social and cultural activities help to reduce stress among older people. Social
relationships can reduce depression and lack of physical activity among older people. It can also
be identified that each stage of life is dependent on the previous stage. (Refer to appendix)
Factors influencing healthy ageing
Healthy ageing generally involves psychological, social as well as spiritual well being.
As stated by Han et al. (2015), quality of life in old age is dependent on the lifestyle as well as
preparation for senescence in adulthood. In addition to that, healthy ageing extends beyond the
absence of disease, which involves physical, mental as well as social well being. As highlighted
by Han et al. (2015), the main factors that have a severe effect on healthy ageing involve
depression, self-esteem, self-achievement as well as ego integrity. In addition to that,
participating in leisure activities as well as loneliness also affects healthy ageing. In the
concerned case, Frederic Arum who is 78 years old can participate in different activities so that
he does not suffer from depression and maintain a healthy mental status. On a wider note, Cherry
et al. (2013) mentioned that social relationships, such as relationships with friends, family or
another significant individual also facilitates in boosting feeling, so the older adults as well as
also help in maintaining their health status properly.
Moreover, social support also plays a key role in safeguarding against various life
stresses in terms of ageing. In addition to that, note, Cherry et al. (2013) also highlighted that

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negative social relationship of older people affects their healthy ageing in terms of enhancing the
psychological distress as well as affecting the quality of life. In the following context, Frederic
Arum can maintain a healthy life and have successful ageing by maintaining proper social
relationships with friends, family or other significant individuals. Moreover, maintaining such
potential social relationship can facilitate him in preventing different life stress and boosting his
health status. As stated by Williams et al. (2015), along with old age Sevier chronic problems
such as back pain and lack of physical activity arises.
Successful ageing is referred to as optimising opportunities for physical, mental as well
as social health for enabling the older adults to take an active part in different activities. Hodge et
al. (2013) highlighted that maintaining the body properly in terms of avoiding the risk of
cardiovascular disease, hypertension or stroke older adult are enabling to maintain healthy
ageing. However, its health ageing does not have any proper connection with the social
relationship. As mentioned by McKee, Kearney & Kenny (2015), the social environment of
childhood has an impact on healthy ageing. On a wider note, Hodge et al. (2013), mentioned that
maintaining the proper relationship with friends and family are just the predictors of successful
ageing rather than the true components of successful ageing. On the contrary, Kim & Young
(2017), stated that participation in various social activities enhances the life satisfaction of older
adult as well as contribute to the potential promotion of health for older people. On a similar
note, Kim & Young (2017) also added that active participation in social activities is generally
considered as the potential component for healthy ageing in terms of safeguarding the disease
disability as well as maintaining physical perception functions.
Therefore, the respective person Frederic Arum can take an active part in different social
activities so that he can safeguard himself from different diseases. In addition to that, this can
also facilitate him in maintaining proper health satisfaction as well as reduce the risk of different
diseases.

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Social engagement on positive health behaviour on healthy ageing
Social engagement is generally considered as a significant part of mental health and can
support to get rid of different diseases such as depression or anxiety. Cherry et al. (2013)
mentioned that social support or engagement is a significant factor for maintaining a potential
well being throughout life. As stated by Smith et al. (2018), feeling of being isolated increases
the chances of premature death and physical disability of older people.
In addition to that, it is also stated that social engagement is generally associated with
potential physical functioning as well as decreases the risk of mortality. On a wider note, Cherry
et al. (2013), highlighted that physical declines is also reduced through proper health-promoting
such as not smoking, regular exercising as well as an imitation on the consumption of alcohol.
On a similar note, Han et al. (2015), loneliness and isolation directly enhance the chance
of depression or other mental disorders. Therefore, Han et al. (2015) stated that it is quite
important to maintain the social relationship properly to promote positive health behaviour on
healthy ageing. In addition to that, the psychosocial factor is also considered as a significant
factor for maintaining potential healthy ageing in terms of positive health behaviour. As
mentioned by Kelly et al. (2017), the behaviour of family members, friends and neighbour have
an impact on maintaining wellbeing of older people.
In the following context, Frederic Arum can get rid of different mental disease with the
aid of proper social engagement. With the aid of proper social support as well as social
engagement, the respective individual can maintain the wellbeing throughout his life. On the
other hand, Hodge et al. (2013) highlighted that maintaining a proper body weight with the aid of
proper dieting also reduces the risk of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease or stroke.
This can also help the respective person in maintaining positive health behaviour on healthy
ageing.

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Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded that potential social interaction influences healthy ageing in
terms of proper social engagement or active part in social activities. In addition to that, social
support also plays a vital role in reducing different life stress, such as depression or mental
disorders. Social engagement also facilitates in maintaining the wellbeing through life.
Moreover, proper dieting, as well as regular exercising, reduces the risk of different diseases
such as cardiovascular disease, stroke or hypertension. However, these literary sources have
remained silent regarding the effect of busy schedule or list of activities during the social
interaction. This can be considered as the gap in literature.

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Reference list
Cherry. K. E., Walker. E. J, Brown. J. S., Volaufova. J., LaMotte. L. R., Welsh. D. A., Su.L.J. S.,
Jazwinski. M., Ellis. R., Woods.R.H. & Frisard. M. (2013). Social Engagement and
Health in Younger, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study.
Journal of Applied Gerontolog, 32(1), 1-25.
Courtin, E., & Knapp, M. (2017). Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping
review. Health & social care in the community, 25(3), 799-812. Retrieved on : 19th Aug
2019. Retrieved from : http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/61768/1/Courtin_Knapp_Social
%20isolation%20loneliness%20and%20health%20in%20old%20age%20a%20scoping
%20review_2015_author%20.pdf
Han. K. H., Lee. Y.J., Gu. J. S., Oh. H., Han. J. H. & Kim. K. B. (2015). Psychosocial factors for
influencing healthy ageing in adults in Korea. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes,
13(31), 1-10.
Hodge. A. M., English. D. R., Giles. G. G. & Flicker. L.(2013). Social connectedness and
predictors of successful ageing. Maturitas 75(4), 361– 366.
Jeste, D. V., Blazer II, D. G., Buckwalter, K. C., Cassidy, K. L. K., Fishman, L., Gwyther, L.
P., ... & Vega, W. A. (2016). Age-friendly communities initiative: public health approach
to promoting successful aging. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(12),
1158-1170. Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019. Retrieved from :
https://novascotia.cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Age-Friendly-Communities-
Initiative-Public-Health-Approach-to-Promoting-Successful-Aging.pdf
Kelly, M. E., Duff, H., Kelly, S., Power, J. E. M., Brennan, S., Lawlor, B. A., & Loughrey, D. G.
(2017). The impact of social activities, social networks, social support and social
relationships on the cognitive functioning of healthy older adults: a systematic

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review. Systematic reviews, 6(1), 259. Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019. Retrieved from :
https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-017-0632-2
Kim.D.E. & Young.Y.J. (2017). The Reciprocal Causal Relationship between Social Activities
and Health with Reference to the Cognitive Function Level among Community-dwelling
Older Adults: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis. Journal of Korean Academy of
Community Health Nursing, 28(1), 1-11.
McKee, G., Kearney, P. M., & Kenny, R. A. (2015). The factors associated with self-reported
physical activity in older adults living in the community. Age and ageing, 44(4), 586-592.
Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019. Retrieved from :
https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/44/4/586/66546
Sadana, R., Blas, E., Budhwani, S., Koller, T., & Paraje, G. (2016). Healthy ageing: raising
awareness of inequalities, determinants, and what could be done to improve health
equity. The Gerontologist, 56(Suppl_2), S178-S193. Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019.
Retrieved from :
https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/56/Suppl_2/S178/2605347
Smith, S. G., Jackson, S. E., Kobayashi, L. C., & Steptoe, A. (2018). Social isolation, health
literacy, and mortality risk: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of
Ageing. Health Psychology, 37(2), 160. Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019. Retrieved from :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5794512/
Williams, J. S., Ng, N., Peltzer, K., Yawson, A., Biritwum, R., Maximova, T., ... & Chatterji, S.
(2015). Risk factors and disability associated with low back pain in older adults in low-
and middle-income countries. Results from the WHO study on global AGEing and adult
health (SAGE). PLoS One, 10(6), e0127880. Retrieved on : 19th Aug 2019. Retrieved
from : https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0127880

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Appendix
Article Research objective Methods Findings
The Reciprocal
Causal Relationship
between Social
Activities and Health
with Reference to the
Cognitive Function
Level among
Community-dwelling
Older Adults: A
Cross-Lagged Panel
Analysis.
To find impact of
social activity
participation on
health of older
people.
1. Secondary data
analysis
2.Longitudinal survey
People with higher
social participation
have lower cognitive
function.
Psychosocial factors
for influencing
healthy aging in
adults in Korea.
To identify the
impact of
Psychological and
socio demographic
factors on healthy
ageing.
1. Self reporting
questionaries
2. Inferential statistic
Participation in social
activities reduces
depression and
loneliness in older
people.
Social Engagement
and Health in
Younger, Older, and
Oldest-Old Adults in
To find the influence
of the social support
on health outcomes
1. Survey
2. Secondary data
analysis
Social engagement as
well as social
activates facilitates in
maintain well being
throughout the life.

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the Louisiana Healthy
Ageing Study
Social connectedness
and predictors of
successful ageing
Predictors of
successful ageing
1. Secondary data
analysis
2. Longitudinal
analysis
Healthy lifestyle is
maintained by
maintain healthy
weight and not by
social connectivity’s
Table 1: Literature review synthesis