Fostering Connection: The Importance of Social Engagement in Memory Care Facilities

April 8, 2025

The Hickman in Pennsylvania is a senior living community with a well-respected memory care facility that focuses on the holistic health and well-being of all our residents. An important component of this is social engagement, which is key to fostering connections that emphasize purpose and translate to more fulfilling lives. When you’re with us at The Hickman, you’re home, which makes a significant difference in relation to memory care.

Social Engagement

It is well established that maintaining social engagement plays an important role in everyone’s life, and emphasizing this aspect of care is key for patients with memory concerns. Just as there is a lot more to physical activities than simply strengthening our bodies, the benefits of social engagement go well beyond simply staying connected, which is extremely important in and of itself. The impact of loneliness and feelings of isolation can intensify the negative effects of memory loss, which highlights the primary role that social engagement plays in memory care.

Why Social Engagement Matters

The National Institutes of Health reports on the importance of engaging in both social and leisure activities that go beyond routine primary care in relation to well-being and quality of life for residents in memory care facilities. The study emphasizes that – when residents are able to choose the activities they want to participate in and when the activities themselves are purposeful – it fosters a more positive self-image and a stronger sense of independence, which, in turn, support fuller, more meaningful lives.

This mission guides our efforts at The Hickman – where we incorporate a wide range of activities that are available to all and that support each resident’s unique competencies and skill levels.

The Benefits of Social Engagement in Memory Care

Social engagement has unique benefits for those requiring memory care, including in each of the following areas:

• Emotional Well-Being – Engaging with others on a social level can help reduce generalized stress while stimulating positive emotions that bolster well-being.
• Cognitive Stimulation – Memory loss is generally accompanied by cognitive decline that can emphasize isolation. Stimulating activities and conversations, however, can help support mental agility and engagement.
• Sense of Identity – When the activities that memory care residents engage in are more familiar to them, it helps establish a keener sense of identity, which is critical to mental health.

At The Hickman, we take a Montessori-Inspired approach to memory care that seamlessly incorporates enhanced social engagement – to the benefit of all our residents.

Our Individualized Memory Care Emphasizes Social Engagement

At The Hickman in Pennsylvania, we’ve been providing memory care that focuses on each resident’s holistic needs for more than a century, and we’re here for you, too. Our award-winning facility meets every resident at the unique level of care they need, and the benefits are difficult to overstate. For more information about our individualized approach to memory care – with an emphasis on social engagement – please don’t hesitate to reach out and call us at 484-760-6300 or to schedule a tour today.