Introduction
The experiences of older people are often overlooked, but videos like Junk Mail can remind the public about the tribulations faced by the elderly population. Junk Mail depicts a 98-year-old woman named Mary who lives alone and visits a senior center to interact with other individuals. Mary suggests that she has nowhere else to go and cannot stay with her relatives because they all have their own families. She appears happy when visiting the senior center and sad when alone at her house, especially during weekends (Voyager, 2015). Mary’s experience brings to life concerns about social isolation by demonstrating how a person can be neglected due to their age.
Emotional Reactions to Mary’s Story
The account of Mary’s solitary existence raises complex emotions and strong reactions. When watching the Junk video, I felt sorrowful for the protagonist and ashamed of society because I thought that Mary represents many older adults neglected by the public.
Personal Connections: Older Adults in My Family
For example, in my family, I have both immediate and distant elderly relatives like Mary, who, as I realize now, are often bypassed due to not being as active as when they were younger. I can help individuals like Mary by paying more attention to them, visiting them when possible, and listening to their stories, which made Mary happy in the video (Voyager, 2015). Older people who lack social interaction do not require much and usually need to be noticed.
The Role of Gerontology in Addressing Social Isolation
Gerontology can assist those concerned with learning more about their experiences to specify how social isolation (SI) affects their health. For instance, Taylor (2019) has investigated SI among older adults and determined that higher rates of social isolation in seniors are associated with greater loneliness. What is important to note is that the two conditions are not interchangeable yet closely connected and can impact one’s well-being.
For example, in Weiss’s theory regarding SI and loneliness, lonely people are viewed to have limited social relationships with others (Taylor, 2019). Moreover, the evolutionary theory of loneliness proposes that the two states interact, can influence physiological and mental health, and can be associated with physical pain (Keller et al., 2022; Taylor, 2019). Therefore, to help people like Mary, gerontologists can investigate the essence of SI and loneliness and identify how to address each person’s situation.
Using Telephone Reassurance to Combat Loneliness
While such approaches can address SI as telephone reassurance (TR), the method may not apply to Mary’s experience. TR is among the practices employed to promptly check up on older adults and provide them with socializing opportunities (Ebor et al., 2020). Nonetheless, Mary remarks that she cannot hear, so one can assume that while the woman may appreciate TR, she would likely not be able to rely on it often (Voyager, 2015). Consequently, TR would probably not be used well in Mary’s situation, indicating that more effort needs to be made to assist Mary.
Contributions of a Recreation Therapist in Supporting Mary
Furthermore, a recreational therapist can play a significant role in helping Mary face SI. Such a specialist can provide Mary with social interactions by focusing on individual experiences through non-pharmacological interventions such as walking, exercising, and communicating (Loy et al., 2021). Consequently, a recreational therapist can assist Mary by spending meaningful time with her to reduce SI through different activities.
Conclusion
To conclude, the story of Mary in the Junk Mail video depicts how a person becomes overlooked due to aging, thus bringing to life the matters regarding social isolation. SI is closely related to loneliness, which can negatively affect well-being. For individuals like Mary, assistance can come in various, although somewhat limited, ways. For example, Mary can benefit from recreational therapy yet cannot rely on telephone reassurance because her hearing is not as good as when she was younger. Because of neglect by society, older adults encounter SI, so the public must pay more attention to the senior population.
References
Ebor, M. T., Loeb, T. B., & Trejo, L. (2020). Social workers must address intersecting vulnerabilities among noninstitutionalized, black, latinx, and older adults of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 63(6-7), 585-588. Web.
Keller, F. M., Derksen, C., Kötting, L., Dahmen, A., & Lippke, S. (2022). Distress, loneliness, and mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Test of the extension of the evolutionary theory of loneliness. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 15(1), 24-48. Web.
Loy, T., DeVries, D., & Keller, M. J. (2021). Recreational therapy in nursing homes: History, regulations, COVID-19, and beyond. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 55(1), 1-18. Web.
Taylor, H. O. (2019). Social isolation’s influence on loneliness among older adults. Clinical Social Work Journal, 48(1), 140-151. Web.
Voyager. (2015). Junk mail [Video]. The Atlantic. Web.