Years before COVID-19 drove us into self-isolation and practicing social distancing, a story came to light of an 85-year-old Chinese man who put himself up for adoption. His name was Han Zicheng and although he had survived the Japanese invasion, the Chinese Civil War and the Cultural Revolution, he could not endure the loneliness he felt living alone.
In an effort to ease his loneliness, Han put pen to paper and taped up signs to bus shelters and store windows asking for a family to take him in. While able-bodied and in good health, he was terrified of dying alone.
A woman saw him putting up one of his signs and took a picture which she shared on social media, helping spread the word. Han’s story was picked up by the media and phone calls and visits began to happen. While his story didn’t have the happy ending everyone would have hoped for – you can read more about it here – it is an important issue to bring to light.
A quarter of Canadian seniors live alone, increasing their chances of being lonely, socially isolated, and becoming depressed. A global concern, the UK has even appointed a Minister of Loneliness to deal with this epidemic, citing that approximately 200,000 British seniors have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in over a month. Based on stories such as Han’s and others from around the world, it is clear more needs to be done to help seniors age positively.
While there are options such as retirement and nursing homes, many seniors wish to age at home; and if they will be happiest at home, it can positively impact their overall health and well-being. However, that can only be the case with the right social support.
Enter the COVID-19 pandemic; a virus that is putting people worldwide at risk and with no vaccine currently available, governments are recommending and in some countries mandating that their citizens remain indoors and quarantined. The health implications of social isolation on both our mental and physical health will increase exponentially, but Amintro believes that just because you live alone, doesn’t mean you have to be alone.
Creating a sense of community both online and in-person, Amintro is a social platform and information hub exclusively for those 50+ and their network that brings people together for community and resources, connecting them to information, products and services for inspired living.
Amintro has developed a process, based on input from experts in the field of sociology as well as mature adults, that helps members build a safe, private online profile that reflects who they are as a friend, and what they consider important characteristics in their friends, based on personal experiences, likes and dislikes.
Everyone benefits from social interactions, friendship and a sense of community. If you or someone you know is looking to meet new people, stay connected and enjoy access to relevant information on products, services and resources for inspired living during the COVID-19 environment and after, join Amintro for free. It’s a wonderful way of meeting new people online and once we get beyond this crisis, having the opportunity to meet them in person.
