The Many Benefits of Nostalgia

Believe it or not, there are actually many benefits to that longing for the past that is often referred to as nostalgia. A researcher from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, named Dr. Krystine Batcho has compiled a list of some of the many benefits that nostalgia can produce.

 

The first benefit of nostalgia is that it helps promote a sense of identity. In a way, nostalgia helps connect the self from years ago to the self today. As someone thinks about things that they enjoyed when they were a child, it gives them a connection to that past. This can be a good way to cope with stressors and setbacks, and it’s a valid method to help improve cognitive flexibility for those in the early stages of dementia.

 

Nostalgia also encourages social interactions. It’s very easy for the elderly to become disconnected from other people their age, but an interest in the past encourages people to reach out and connect with others. This might be just to talk about their interests, but it can also manifest in the form of clubs and other groups. A commonly shared bond encourages interaction, and social connectedness has been shown to have a positive correlation with prolonged health.

 

Mental and emotional health issues like anxiety can also be alleviated thanks to nostalgia. An interest in the past tends to have a grounding effect on people, and this can make current issues, including anxiety and depression, seem less severe.

 

Obviously this is not a medical approach to mental illness, but it can be one way to approach anxiety and depression and may prove to be beneficial when under the observation of a professional. It’s not the only way to stave off the negative impact of mental illness, but if it’s used along with therapy, medication, and exercise, it could prove to be beneficial.

 

Nostalgia can even help to encourage problem solving skills, according to Dr. Batcho. Those who have an avid interest in something from the past tend to have a better skill set when it comes to planning and strategizing. It even helps with the reframing of problems so that the negativity of situations can be seen in a more positive light. Cognitive health is one of the few things that have been shown to help slow down the spread of things like Alzheimer’s disease, which can swiftly increase the need for senior care in the elderly.

 

Nostalgia, surprisingly, comes with a lot of benefits for seniors that might be in need of in-home or senior care.

 

These benefits are great for the elderly, but they don’t apply only to seniors. Even young adults that have a strong sense of longing for their past can realize these benefits listed above. So, if you are frustrated over the conversations or behaviors of an elderly loved one about how great the “old days” we’re, remember that this is actually a good thing. It helps people to improve their mental health as they age, and this in turn allows for better physical health. When it comes to improving senior health through improved care, this is something that we should all be striving toward for our loved ones.

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