Studies have shown that people who remain active and who interact with other people during old age live longer, happier, healthier lives. Volunteering, taking classes, joining social groups, engaging in hobbies, and pursuing some type of spiritual or religious practice are all ways of staying connected. Even people who are confined to their home because of illness can stay connected by having others visit them or by communicating over the telephone or by e-mail.

Volunteering: Volunteering allows older people to use skills and life experiences to contribute to the community and society. Hundreds of organizations across the United States welcome older volunteers. For example, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Foster Grandparent Program provide volunteer opportunities in many communities. Opportunities are almost limitless and include

• Working with children
• Working with older people
• Helping out in nonprofit organizations or municipal institutions such as libraries
• Assisting small businesses

Continuing Education: Being a life-long learner can be a very enjoyable and effective way of maintaining an active mind and of meeting and interacting with others who have similar interests. Many public school systems, colleges and universities, and municipalities offer continuing education classes for people of all ages as well as classes specifically developed with older adults in mind. Classes may range from practical topics (such as preparing tax returns, managing personal finances, or learning a new language) to more creative or entertaining topics (such as wine tasting and music appreciation).

Social Groups and Hobbies: For older people, hobbies can help maintain social connections as well as mental and physical fitness. People may develop new hobbies or rediscover hobbies from earlier years. Although many hobbies can be done in solitude, engaging in a hobby with another person or with a group can be more interesting and stimulating. Hobbies that involve physical activity, such as gardening or sports, can be particularly beneficial to people's health.

Spirituality and Religion: Spirituality and religion provide meaning, comfort, and a sense of belonging to many older people. Spirituality and religion are similar but not identical concepts. Religion is often associated with institutions, structure, and tradition, whereas spirituality is more associated with feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Most older people in the United States consider themselves both religious and spiritual.

Spirituality and religion may benefit older people in several ways:

• A positive and hopeful attitude about life and illness improves health.
• The social aspects of a religious community can help people feel connected to others.
• The meaning and purpose of life that religious beliefs convey and the effect of those beliefs can be steady and powerful influences, especially when people are facing difficult changes.

A religious community is often the largest source of social support for older people outside of the family, and involvement in religious organizations is the most common type of voluntary social activity—more common than all other forms of voluntary social activity combined. For many older people, their religion provides a foundation that enables them to cope with health problems and stresses, such as loss of a spouse.

Intimacy
Intimacy takes many forms, including emotional intimacy, shared experiences, and physical intimacy, such as touching, cuddling, or sexual activity. The desire for intimacy does not diminish with aging. However, the health and emotional conditions that often accompany aging can complicate people's ability to develop and maintain an intimate relationship. In addition, aging can change the way in which intimacy is expressed in a relationship. Sex is a physical expression of intimacy that is important to many older couples. There is no age at which sexual activity is inappropriate. However, many factors may contribute to the shift in emphasis from sex to other expressions of intimacy. Older people may lose their need for physical intimacy as passions mellow after years of living together. Many couples—most without being aware of it—grow comfortable with forms of intimacy other than sexual intercourse. These forms allow them to express familiarity, caring, or engagement with their partner in ways that are equally meaningful and more natural to their daily lives and personalities. Also, levels of sex hormones decrease in men and women as they grow older. The resulting physical changes may reduce sex drive or may make sexual intercourse uncomfortable or difficult. Some medical conditions, as well as drugs can hamper the ability to have and enjoy sexual intercourse. Sex and intimacy also require opportunities for privacy. Older people have fewer of these opportunities when they live with family members or in an assisted living community. Intimacy—in all its forms—is sometimes lost. Some couples have difficulty maintaining closeness in the face of life's sometimes substantial changes. Many older people find a companionship that resembles intimacy in interactions with beloved pets. Caring for a pet engenders many of the same feelings present in human relationships. Providing a pet to an older person, if circumstances permit, can bring companionship and intimacy that greatly improves quality of life.

Last full review/revision December 2008 by Terrie Fox Wetle, MS, PhD