Finding The Connection
By Megan Rasmussen
Where do you see yourself in
five years?
This is not a question most
senior citizens ask themselves.
The future isn’t as certain as it
was when they were younger,
but it also isn’t as much of a
concern for them. It seems that
the daily focus is the task at
hand and that action is much
more driven by necessity rather
than aspiration. What errands
must I run today? What do I
want to eat for dinner tonight?
When was the last time I watered
my plants? The everyday
chore is on the forefront of
their mind and the need for
anything more is quietly waiting
on the bedside table.
At any point in life, we
have a few core needs that
must be fulfilled for us to feel
satisfied. Some of these needs
are physical like food and shelter,
and some are emotional
like love, connection, belonging,
and self-esteem. Today,
we are focusing on connection
because it seems to be a need
that is much easier to neglect
than it was back in the 50s.
One of the best ways to stay
connected with your family,
your friends, and your world
is through communication.
This is a concept that has been
warped, muddied, and restructured
in bizarre ways since the
birth of the smartphone. It’s
the reason you see so many
millenials hunched over as
they walk down the street. It’s
also the reason you might get
a foreign look from a teenager
when you ask them what the
last book they read for fun was.
These generations have grown
up with a different kind of
communication but the heart
of the need is still the same.
Communication connects us
to the world. Without human
connection, we are left in solitude
46 Healthy Living | Summer Issue | 2018
and often find ourselves
drawn to depression and loneliness.
We found that one of the
simplest ways to restore that
connection for the population
we serve is through the simple
tool of easy-to-use communication.
Communication instills
positive emotions of gratitude
and meaning and if we let it,
communication can elevate our
happiness no matter what age
we are wearing.
I don’t know about you, but
when I handed my grandfather
the iPhone7 he looked at me
like I had just blindfolded him
and told him to walk across
the street. Your loved ones are
probably more about the nofuss
way of life and therefore
don’t need to waste time with
apps, touch pads, siri (Who?),
and all of the other features
Apple is framing the future by
with their products. The mobile
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