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The detrimental health effects of loneliness have been compared to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Considering that loneliness affects 43 percent of the 40 million people over the age of 65, this problem is enormous in scope and devastating to both our economy and our sense of social responsibility.

Creating and strengthening social connections is a significant differentiator for Element3 Health. Researchers have discovered that inclusion in clubs, groups and social activities offers a significant protection against loneliness and social isolation – improving health, quality of life and cost of care. In fact, several studies have established that the positive effects of being socially connected are stronger than the negative effects of social isolation.

Element3 Health’s GroupWorks platform brings older adults together around their passions, establishing connections to group activities that bring enjoyment, fulfillment and purpose to their lives. In doing so, GroupWorks creates the positive bonds that counter the proven negative effects of loneliness. It is a free club management platform that makes it easier for older adults to socialize – all while reducing their risk of heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline.

senior citizen clubs
September 10, 2021

6 Scientifically-backed Benefits of Social Interactions for Seniors

To improve their quality of life, senior citizen clubs encourage social engagement and physical activities for their members. There is plenty of evidence from scientific research that confirms the benefits of both socializing and movement for older adults. In this article, we will outline specific ways social engagement can improve the quality of life for seniors. 1. Reduce Risks of…
AARP logoGeneralNews
February 26, 2019

Medicare Spends More on Socially Isolated Older Adults

Studies have shown that socially isolated older adults are at greater risk for poor health and death than their well-connected counterparts. Now a new study—the first to examine whether social isolation also affects health care spending among older adults—finds that a lack of social contacts among older adults is associated with an estimated $6.7 billion in.....
PNAS logoGeneral
February 26, 2019

Social isolation, loneliness, and all-cause mortality in older men and women

Both social isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality, but it is uncertain whether their effects are independent or whether loneliness represents the emotional pathway through which social isolation impairs health. We therefore assessed the extent to which the association between social isolation and mortality is....
Caltech logoGeneralNews
November 6, 2018

How Social Isolation Transforms the Brain

Chronic social isolation has debilitating effects on mental health in mammals—for example, it is often associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in humans. Now, a team of Caltech researchers has discovered that social isolation causes the build-up of a particular chemical in the brain, and that blocking this chemical...
KFF logoGeneral
October 16, 2018

Loneliness and Social Isolation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan: An International Survey

The Kaiser Family Foundation, in partnership with The Economist, conducted a cross-country survey of adults in United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan to examine people’s views of and experiences with loneliness and social isolation. The survey, the second in partnership with...
TED logoGeneralNews
September 1, 2018

Loneliness is Toxic: A 75-Year Study of 724 Men

Harvard University tracked 724 men over 75 years and discovered that more than education, more than economic standing, more than anything else in life, good relationships keep us happier and healthier. In this talk, psychiatrist Robert Waldinger shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.
Sage Journals logoGeneral
September 1, 2018

Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality

It’s not too late: Creating strong social connections can reverse the negative effects of loneliness. Actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality. In this meta-analytic review, our objective is to establish the overall and relative magnitude of social isolation and loneliness and to examine possible moderators.
AARP logoGeneral
September 1, 2018

Build Social Connections to Fight Loneliness

Studies show that strong social relationships save lives.You may be good at building your retirement nest egg — but paying attention to building your social circle, not just your IRA balance, may be equally important. Taking practical steps to combat chronic loneliness — which afflicts about 28 percent of Americans over age 50, according to the University of Michigan’s long-term…
LinkedIn logoGeneral
September 1, 2018

Socializing for your Health? How Staying Connected is Just as Important as Staying Active

While you should still exercise for cardiovascular health, weight management and strength benefits, strong relationships and a sense of togetherness can lead to healthier and longer lives. Nearly every major medical research center in the country is involved in studies to better understand the connection between...

An estimated 5.1 million Americans aged 65 years or older currently has Alzheimer’s disease, the most well-known form of cognitive impairment. And this number is expected to rise to 15 million by 2060. Cognitive Decline is associated $11 billion in Medicare Spending, representing an increase of 44% in medical costs compared with adults who do not suffer from mild cognitive decline.

Extensive data demonstrates a correlation between engaging in social activities and staving off the debilitating effects of dementia. In fact, a study out of Chicago found that social interaction can decrease the rate of cognitive decline in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s by as much as 47 percent per year.

In this respect, the social and physical interactions enabled by Element3 Health’s GroupWorks platform serve as powerful counter to the debilitating effects of dementia and could lead to a reduction in healthcare spending by $3,500 per person per year or more in the treatment of dementia alone.

PLOSOne logoGeneralMental ActivityNews
November 6, 2018

Social isolation, cognitive reserve, and cognition in healthy older people

There is evidence to suggest that social isolation is associated with poor cognitive health, although findings are contradictory. One reason for inconsistency in reported findings may be a lack of consideration of underlying mechanisms that could influence this relationship. Cognitive reserve is a theoretical concept that may...
Wiley Online Library logoGeneralMental Activity
October 16, 2018

American Geriatrics Society and National Institute on Aging Bench‐to‐Bedside Conference: Sensory Impairment and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults

The risk of impairment in hearing, vision, and other senses increases with age, and almost 15% of individuals aged 70 and older have dementia. As the number of older adults increases, sensory and cognitive impairments will...
ResearchGate logoGeneralMental Activity
September 1, 2018

Association of Social Engagement with Brain Volumes Assessed by Structural MRI

Social engagement, the performance of meaningful social roles for either leisure or productive activity, has been shown to be associated with better cognitive function and lowered rates of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. Yet many questions remain regarding how social engagement can potentially get “under the skull” to preserve cognitive abilities.
Cambridge University Press logoGeneralMental ActivityNews
September 1, 2018

Late Life Social Activity and Cognitive Decline in Old Age

Tracking elderly people without dementia over 12 years, researchers found that staying socially active reduced the rate of cognitive decline by 70%.We examined the association of social activity with cognitive decline in 1138 persons without dementia at baseline with a mean age of 79.6 (SD = 7.5) who were followed for up to 12 years (mean = 5.2; SD =…
NCBI logoGeneralMental Activity
September 1, 2018

Impact of social relationships on Alzheimer’s memory impairment: mechanistic studies

An early sign of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is frequent forget of recently happened events, which culminates in cognitive impairment that not only affects a person’s living ability but also becomes a society’s as well as a family’s economic burden. AD is the most common form of dementia in aged persons.

The link between physical activity and health is well understood. What is harder to appreciate is why so many Americans remain sedentary. For some, inadequate levels of exercise is a result of injury or disability. For others, it’s a matter of timing and resources. At Element3 Health we seek to address the entire mosaic of barriers to exercise, getting people moving to the degree that they can and helping them to reduce their risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic ailments.

A Medicare study found that by engaging in fitness programs and physical activity, individuals are able to reduce their annual spending by between $500 and $1,186. While gym memberships help get people moving, 80 percent of those eligible for free gym membership programs don’t take advantage of the benefit. For many of these people, GroupWorks offers the opportunity to engage in activities they love with like-minded adults. By tapping into people’s passions, Element3’s GroupWorks platform seeks to provide a more attractive alternative to the gym.

With clubs as varied as hiking and biking to pickleball and line-dancing, GroupWorks gives adults over the age of 50 access to physical activities that resonate with them. This increases activity levels while creating social networks – resulting in better health and reduced healthcare spending.

activities for senior citizensPhysical Activity
January 4, 2022

5 of the Best Physical Activities for Senior Citizens

If you feel like you've lost your zest for life, perhaps it's time to get some more physical activity. As many of us know, exercise can provide several benefits, including increased energy levels and better sleep. Exercise also helps reduce anxiety while improving self-esteem. A recent study found that physical activity is even associated with improved brain health in seniors!…
group activities for senior citizensPhysical Activity
January 4, 2022

The Amazing Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors

Healthy aging is essential for older adults to improve and maintain physical and mental health, and to enhance independence and quality of life. Older adults can achieve healthy aging by engaging in group activities for senior citizens like tai chi. According to Who.int, older adults with poor mobility should conduct physical activity at least three days a week to promote…
GeneralPhysical Activity
November 6, 2018

Real-Time Associations Between Engaging in Leisure and Daily Health and Well-Being

Engagement in leisure has a wide range of beneficial health effects. Yet, this evidence is derived from between-person methods that do not examine the momentary within-person processes theorized to explain leisure’s benefits. This study examined momentary relationships between...
Human Kinetics logoGeneralPhysical Activity
October 16, 2018

The Experience and Meaning of Physical Activity in Assisted Living Facility Residents

Assisted living (AL) residents engage in very low levels of physical activity (PA) placing them at increased risk for mobility disability and frailty. But many residents in AL may not perceive the need to increase their PA. This study explored the experience, meaning and perceptions of PA in 20 older adults in assisted living...
NCBI logoGeneralPhysical Activity
September 1, 2018

Economic Impact of Moderate-Vigorous Physical Activity Among Those with and without Established Cardiovascular Disease: 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Moderate‐vigorous physical activity is associated with significantly lower health care spending in people with and without established cardiovascular disease. Physical activity (PA) has an established favorable impact...
JACC logoGeneralNewsPhysical Activity
September 1, 2018

Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Middle Age and Health Care Costs in Later Life

A 2015 study in the Journal of American College of Cardiology found that average annual health care costs were significantly lower for participants aged 65 years or older with high midlife fitness than with low midlife fitness in both men and women. Physical inactivity is a global pandemic, with more than 30%...
GeneralPhysical Activity
August 30, 2018

Inadequate Physical Activity and Healthcare Expenditure in the United States, a CDC Report

This study estimates the percentage of health care expenditures in the non-institutionalized United States (U.S.) adult population associated with levels of physical activity inadequate to meet current guidelines. Leisure-time physical activity data from the National Health Interview Survey (2004–2010) were merged with...