How to be happy and boost brain health by nurturing social connections – they help lower stress, reduce depression and stave off cognitive decline
- People who confide in others frequently and receive visits from family and friends have a lower risk of developing depression, new research shows
- If in-person socialising is out of the question for you right now, go online – virtual interaction has similar physiological and psychological effects
Ninety-year-old Chan Siu-yung lives alone but is seldom lonely. Twice a month she spends time with Stella Mak Choi Yip-ying, a volunteer with the Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS) in Hong Kong.
They exchange personal news and have conversations about everything from the latest TV programmes to what’s happening in the neighbourhood. Chan and Mak also talk on the phone, their conversations often lasting an hour and a half or more.
“I appreciate Stella spending time with me,” says Chan, who lives on Hong Kong’s Ap Lei Chau island.
Mak, who has been a volunteer with AVS since 2008, looks forward to visiting Chan, too. With loneliness and isolation a growing problem among Hong Kong’s elderly, she believes that what seniors like Chan miss the most is having people to talk to.
“I always make it a point to listen to what she has to say,” the 68-year-old volunteer says. “During our phone conversations I can rarely get a word in, and when I visit her, I usually stay past the scheduled time because she always has a lot to tell me.”
Chan’s daughter, who lives far away, visits her twice a month. “I’m always happy to see her; it’s great to have someone to talk to.”