It’s important to note that loneliness is a perceived feeling. It doesn’t matter how many people are around an elder, but rather how the elder feels. The good news is that loneliness can be reduced without a physical visit. We can help our grandparents feel better, even from afar.
BOSTON (PRWEB) October 08, 2020
Silver, LLC, announces expansion to their service, The Silver Post, that leverages SMS technology to safely connect senior citizens to their families despite COVID-19 threat. The Silver Post translates text messages from its members into printed photo postcards, and mails them to elderly loved ones. Today, Silver, LLC, is announcing they’ve doubled the impact potential for each user by expanding the service to offer multiple-recipient capabilities.
“Even before COVID, more than 40% of senior citizens in the U.S. reported feeling lonely on a regular basis. Conditions have worsened due to the added social isolation brought on by COVID-19. It’s sad to see,” says co-founder Carolyn Dalle-Molle.
“It’s important to note that loneliness is a perceived feeling. It doesn’t matter how many people are around an elder, but rather how the elder feels. The good news is that loneliness can be reduced without a physical visit. We can help our grandparents feel more connected, even from afar,” Dalle-Molle says. “For those who want to take action, simple gestures can quickly create a feeling of connection. Cheerful photos from family is a strong start, and our founding team at The Silver Post is here to work over-time to get the job done.”
43% of the 41 million senior citizens in the U.S. report feeling lonely on a regular basis [1]. This is a massive problem. Elderly who identify themselves as lonely have a 45% greater risk of serious health complications, such as clinical dementia [2].
Text messages from millennials is a promising solution. Research shows the average millennial spends about 5.6 hours per week on text messaging [3]. Choosing SMS as the form of connecting millennials with grandparents reduces barriers to adoption, Dalle-Molle believes, adding, “As millennials, we text a lot, but we’re also motivated to make a difference. We like to know our actions matter.” To learn more or sign up to send a monthly postcard to an elder you know, visit http://www.silverlove.org.
Source 1: https://www.agingcare.com/articles/loneliness-in-the-elderly-151549.htm
Source 2: http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/85/2/135.short
Source 3: https://kommandotech.com/statistics/how-much-time-does-the-average-person-spend-on-their-phone/
