Winter Forum focuses on need for social interaction

The Institute for the Ages was the new host of the sixth annual Winter Forum, “The Power of Social Connections,” March 2, at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota.

This year’s forum featured two speakers, Dr. Kevin O’Neil, chief medical officer at Brookdale Senior Living, and Brad Edmondson, a national demographer and social-change expert.

O’Neil’s presentation, titled “Be Well On Purpose,” outlined what he considers the six key dimensions of wellness. He emphasized the important role that having a sense of purpose plays in determining the quality and longevity of life for seniors, saying that studies prove that it actually has an impact on physical, and not just emotional, health.

Edmondson gave a presentation titled, “Where’s the Party?” in which he also discussed how important social connections are for seniors.

“The smallest interactions are the ones that are most often overlooked,” Edmondson said. “But even something small, such as taking care of a neighbor’s pet, can have a big effect on a person’s health.”

In a time when more people are keeping to themselves, and polite exchanges of pleasantries are becoming a thing of the past, Edmondson warns this may be more detrimental to mental well-being than we think.

“We’re looking for ways to strengthen our neighborhoods,” he said. “More and more people are living in social isolation, which studies show is bad for your health. By improving social connections, we not only improve their (seniors’) health, but we also benefit our community.”