In the 2018 article by Berkeley, he explores why the relationship is critical for successful aging. Imagine I am the author of the article “Why relationships are the secret to healthy aging.” I will use concepts we learned from the course, including Whitbourne & Whitbourne (2020), to explain why a healthy relationship can result in successful aging. To shed light on this concept, this essay will define the meaning of social relationships, changes in these relationships with age, and aspects that lead to successful aging.
Social relationship refers to individual’ connections that people share throughout their lives. The relationship is dynamic and includes the connection one shares with friends, partners in marriage, and community members in society. In the context of healthy aging, social relationships become a cornerstone for emotional support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. Whitbourne & Whitbourne (2020) explain the complex nature of the relationship and how it can affect the health of aging people; hence, it is important to ensure quality and quantity when trying to enhance healthy aging.
As people grow older, their social relationships undergo various transformations as they pass through various stages of relationships. This means they engage in various relationships that shape their life, contributing to their success in aging. The article by Berkeley (2018) explains that the connections among people shift as they age, but these connections and affiliations remain relevant for successful aging. In this regard, people may be connected with many people during early adulthood, but the number of people affiliated with them reduces as they enter middle and late adulthood. The loss of connection as people grow older is caused by various factors such as retirement, loss of friends, and health issues. According to Blieszner (2014), people change their motivations towards social interaction across the lifespan. For instance, people focus on emotionally meaningful relationships, while young people focus on seeking information and expanding their social networks. In most cases, older people are selective about the people they relate with. They prefer to invest their time and energy in social relationships that contribute positively to their well-being.
Social relationships are an important aspect of the successful aging of individuals; hence, they require close relationships that go beyond the family members to other members with whom they share common values. Whitbourne & Whitbourne (2020) highlight the positive impact of social relationships on various aspects of healthy aging. These authors explain that older people tend to benefit from the relationships that build them emotionally. In this regard, one concept that determines the social relationship of aging people is the social convoy, a group of people who provide support throughout their lifespan. According to the class lecture, older people are happy if they connect with people who provide emotional support, which makes them happy. Such an aspect leads to selecting the people an older person wants to connect with, indicating that goals and relationships change across the individual’s lifespan. As older people give emotional support a priority, a spouse, friend, or relative plays a critical role in their emotional well-being as these are people who are close to them.
In the same context, the importance of social relationship is that it contributes to better health maintenance behaviors, medication adherence, and a sense of control. This is because when people have a strong relationship with friends and relatives who care for their emotional well-being, they will ensure that their health issues are considered through a high level of medication. The class materials, such as the lecture, explain that close relationships are important for successful aging as they can contribute to a lower rate of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
In conclusion, the class materials and textbook research shows that social relationship contributes positively to successful aging. Close relationships help older people get emotional support from their friends and relatives. Also, these friends and relatives help aging people deal with chronic issues that occur mostly as people grow old. In this regard, people need to connect with people who contribute positively to their lives.
References
Blieszner, R. (2014). The worth of friendship: Can friends keep us happy and healthy? Generations, 38(1), 24-30.
Whitbourne, S. K., & Whitbourne, S. B. (2020). Adult Development and Aging (7th ed.). Wiley Global Education US.
PSYC 4342 – Lecture 19 – Friends and Social Networks
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