Final answer:
Social connections in old age are important for preventing dementia, aiding recovery post-illness, and enhancing cognitive resilience but do not prevent sensory deficits. Strong social relationships are associated with a 50% greater likelihood of survival. However, sensory deficits are primarily related to biological factors and not directly prevented by social connections.
Step-by-step explanation:
Retaining as many social connections as possible in old age is important for various reasons, including helping to prevent the onset of dementia, promoting recovery after an illness, and enhancing cognitive resilience. However, preventing sensory deficits is not one of the reasons that social connections are beneficial in old age as sensory deficits are often caused by biological factors that may not be directly influenced by social relationships. According to socioemotional selectivity theory, although the number of friends might decrease as we age, the closeness of existing relationships can actually increase, providing essential social support. Research has consistently shown that a lack of social and community ties can impact mortality rates, with one classic study from Alameda County, California, finding that isolated individuals were significantly more likely to die than those with extensive social networks.
Moreover, strong social relationships have been linked with a 50% greater likelihood of survival, underscoring the potential health benefits of social support, which can exceed those of quitting smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. Social support can also improve health behaviors and has been associated with better survival rates following serious illnesses such as breast cancer and HIV infection. Continuity theory explains how the elderly make decisions to maintain social stability by sustaining developed social roles. Thus, while social connections offer many health advantages, they do not directly prevent sensory deficits, which are not typically mitigated by social factors alone.