Four Benefits of Companionship: Why Homesharing Helps

We hear in the news and during conversations with friends about companionship and how important it is in our older years. Sure, it's great to have conversations with your new housemate or friend over morning breakfast, but what else does companionship do?    

Four Benefits of Companionship

1. It keeps you smart.

Okay, it may not make you a genius, but having a companion has been proven to improve your cognition and memory. You stimulate your brain just by interacting or having a conversation with someone. Because other aspects of aging seem to require more urgent attention from us (such as knee pain or arthritis), many of us overlook the importance of keeping our minds engaged as we age. 

2. It can improve your health.

Those who experience loneliness tend to have higher blood pressure, poor immune systems, high cholesterol and higher disease risk, according to a study from Harvard School of Public Health. A meta-analysis of over 148 studies reviewing social isolation determined that people with more social interaction had lower mortality rates, too. Companionship is clearly vital for more than just your soul! 

3. You'll probably be more active  

Homesharing tends to lead to more interactions—even the minor ones that happen in passing—that keep you engaged. You may move around more, do things together or help each other with pets or yard work. This interaction and activity reinforces healthy lifestyle habits and keeps you moving. 

"My housemate and I have developed a morning walk tradition that I look forward to on a daily basis. It's easier to get motivated to get moving when there's another person involved!"

- Blanche, 62, Silvernest homeowner

4. You may eat better 

Sometimes people who share homes also share meals or cook together. Cooking and eating with another person often leads to healthier choices than dining solo—heating up a frozen pizza begins to sound less appealing than making a fresh meal with your housemate.  

Companionship brings more than just a new friend to the table.  Join the homesharing movement at www.silvernest.com and find your companion!