Most of us dread the possibility of getting Alzheimer’s dementia. What can be done to prevent it? There are a number of preventive strategies, and one is based on social support.
Salinas and colleagues reported on research on this topic in JAMA Network Open on August 16, 2021. Researchers noted that “prior studies have shown social support reduces Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders by increasing cognitive resilience.” Cognitive resilience means that the brain is able to resist the bad effects of changes in brain structure due to advancing age or disease.
The researchers wanted to know if there was a specific type of social support that was particularly helpful in preventing Alzheimer’s. They compared supportive listening, giving advice, showing love and affection, emotional support, and sufficient contact (spending time with other people).
I was surprised to learn that supportive listening was the form of social support that increased cognitive resilience the most.
Supportive listening involves encouraging someone to talk about whatever concerns them. The listener focuses on what the person is saying with the intention of understanding without judgment. The listener asks about feelings and asks questions to clarify what the person is trying to communicate. A supportive listener does not focus on giving advice but expresses empathy.
We know that loneliness and social isolation are risk factors for Alzheimer’s and related diseases. It appears that supportive listening is an antidote.
If you want to know more about loneliness see my video podcast on that topic on YouTube. Search for loneliness and Peter Hartmann.
