Most kids are taught that they shouldn’t talk to strangers.
These kids are being encouraged to do so and for good reason. While it might be easy for kids and most adults to make friends, this isn’t the case for elderly people. Many of them have a hard time leaving their homes and going places, so they really have nowhere to meet people.
An organization called Be More Us is working to change that.
They encourage kids to befriend elderly people, so they aren’t so lonely. This can help the elderly avoid depression and can even help with dementia.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:
“The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3. [Major depressive disorder] affects more than 16.1 million American adults, or about 6.7% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5 years old. More prevalent in women than in men.”
Other elderly people have stayed inside and away from people for so long that they develop anxiety about meeting new people.
When you are scared to talk to people and leave your home, it can make life pretty lonely. The ADAA offers statistics on social anxiety disorder, or SAD. The site says:
“SAD affects 15 million adults, or 6.8% of the U.S. population. SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13. According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.”
Be More Us introduces children to the elderly in a way that is completely natural.
The children are encouraged to wave at strangers, hold the door for others, say kind things to people who seem to be down, and befriend people who seem to be standing or sitting alone. While the elderly is definitely whom the organization is aimed at helping, kids are encouraged to help people of all ages, even other kids.
The Be More Us website explains the movement as:
“The Campaign to End Loneliness is the first and only organization in the UK dedicated to ending loneliness. We campaign nationally to inspire thousands of organizations and people to do more to tackle loneliness. We work at a local level in all four nations to across the UK. We want to make the UK a place where no one feels alone. We are hosted by Independent Age and funded by the Big Lottery Fund. Together, we can End Loneliness.”
It seems to be working. In a recent video, the kids were released at a coffee shop, where they took action.
They offered up hugs and companionship, and everyone inside was captivated by their energy and compassion. They were clearly making a difference in the lives of these adults. The adults seemed happy to have someone to talk to and be near them.
For many of these people, these kids are the first to come up and talk to them in a long time.
The gesture alone is enough to make them smile, but these people seem genuinely happy to see these kids. A recent study by biologist Chun-Fang Wu of the University of Iowa found:
“Beneficial effects of social interaction on aging have been studied in humans and other species. We found that short-lived Drosophila mutants of the antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase displayed a robust lifespan extension, with improved stress resistance and motor ability, upon cohousing with active flies of longer lifespan or younger age. Genetic, surgical, and environmental manipulations revealed motor and sensory components in behavioral interactions required for the lifespan extension induced by cohousing. Our results provide a definitive case of beneficial social interaction on lifespan and a useful entry point for analyzing the underlying molecular networks and physiological mechanisms.”
These kids are making a difference in the lives of others, and all they have to do is show some kindness.
We could all learn a lesson from them and should all be looking for ways to help others. This is just the beginning for this movement.
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