There is nothing more valuable in life than good friends. No matter how old you are, we all need human contact – it’s key to our well-being. Friendship transcends money, status, and reputation and while friendship is important at every stage in life, it is especially vital in later years. By staying in touch and sharing experiences with others, it makes it possible for seniors to remain active, mentally alert, and connected to life. Without a friend or close relative to provi

Today's blog focuses on loneliness and isolation, which we know many people experience throughout their life. There are times in everyone’s life when we feel lonely or isolated. Whilst some people prefer to live alone, most people don’t want to feel lonely. The mere thought that on any given day, night, week or month there are hundreds of thousands of people without social connections, someone to talk to, or simply living in the community feeling they have no sense of purpose

At some time, your role as a carer might end. This might be when the person you care for recovers, or when they sadly, pass away, or if other people take over the caring role. You may have to adjust to changes and rebuild your life. Reactions to life after caring You might feel intense loss, guilt, sadness, grief or stress. You might also feel worried about the future. This is a natural reaction. Grief has no timeline. Grieving can continue for some time, even for many years.

Research increasingly shows us the importance of remaining socially active as we get older. Being active in this way can have significant positive benefits for a person’s physical well-being as well as their mental health. In this story, we hear how Melissa, a Quality Health Care community worker supported Edna to reconnect with an old friend and the impact this had on her outlook and quality of life. When Edna’s husband passed away she retreated into her own world and hardly