The Benefits of Socialising in our Senior Years

Socialising is a big part of life at Ciudad Patricia. Whether its meeting for a morning coffee, going for a stroll through the extensive grounds or going out for a meal, there are hidden health and well-being benefits which are well documented. Let’s take a look at 4 of them.

1 - Enhanced Mental Health
One of the leading causes of depression in our senior years is loneliness. Social isolation can lead to feelings of worthlessness and even despair. The opportunities for socialising in Ciudad Patricia are boundless: from a casual get together in the bar to one of our organised social events in the residents salon.

2 - Retained Cognitive Function
As we get older we often feel we’re losing our memory and ability to think. This is known as cognitive function. The fact is that socialising stimulates the brain, helping us stay mentally sharp and intellectually engaged.

3 - Having a Purpose In Life
This is very important, it gives us a reason to get up in the morning. If we know we are meeting Mrs Jones at 10 o’clock, well we need to get up in time to be there. The other aspect of this is that we become accountable. By this we mean we take care of our appearance and not stay all day in our dressing gowns!

4 - Improved Self Esteem through a Sense of Belonging
It’s a fact that as we get older we may think we don’t matter anymore. But socialising gives us purpose and more often than not we get asked to help someone with something – what better way to improve a sense of been needed. And as part of a community that needs you, leads to improved self-esteem!

At Ciudad Patricia, our Central Building is the hub of social activity in the resort. Our facilities include:

• Cafeteria – where you can grab a coffee or a glass of wine and meet other residents from the resort.
• Terrace – with 300 days of sunshine, the real question is why wouldn’t you want to sit outside and have a good neighbourly natter over a coffee or glass of wine!
• Theatre – where you can enjoy presentations, movies and the occasional performance
• Salon – where regular larger social gatherings take place such as birthday parties and tea-dances
• Library – where you can choose from an extensive selection of books and DVDs, play cards and even darts!
• The Park Itself - the resort is set within 100,000m2 of wooded parkland so there's plenty of space to go for a stroll with friends, play petanca, swim in one of our outdoor pools, or find a quiet space under a tree to read your book.

Socialising is part of the ethos of Ciudad Patricia and we take exceptional care to make sure we offer the right facilities. Some of our residents have taken it upon themselves to organise regular events which has developed into a vibrant social scene. We support and lay on various excursions on a regular basis. No wonder we have residents who are living a fulfilling life well into their 80s, 90s and even 100’s!