Why Your Social Life Matters When You’re Living With MCI or Early Alzheimer’s

A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early Alzheimer’s disease can change many parts of your daily life. You may worry about memory lapses, avoid situations that feel challenging or withdraw from activities that once came easily.

But neuroscientist Andrew Bender, PhD, says one of the most important things you can do for your brain is also one of the most human: staying connected to other people.

“As a species, we’re wired to be social,” Dr. Bender says. “Our brains need other people. And when we don’t have that input from other people, our brains feel it.”

Dr. Bender explains how relationships can do more than just provide emotional support after a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease. They may also help keep your brain active and engaged.

Why continuing to socialize is important

Feeling socially isolated isn’t just lonely. It can also affect your physical and cognitive health, especially when you’re already living with MCI or early Alzheimer’s.

“We want to think of ourselves as tough and independent,” Dr. Bender acknowledges. “But the loss of our social network also reduces our thinking skills. When we don’t socialize, we’re not engaged in the world.”

For example, research has shown that chronic loneliness raises the risk of developing dementia by about 50, and it can worsen existing dementia. Being cut off from other people has even been shown to raise your risk of dying early.

“Loneliness increases our risk of death as if we were to smoke 15 cigarettes a day,” he adds.

On the other hand, spending time with other people is linked to a healthier and more resilient brain.

“When we interact with other people, that social interaction engages multiple parts of the brain,” Dr. Bender notes. “It taps into language, memory, emotions, planning and strategic skills.”

Staying connected can support your emotional well-being, too. Spending meaningful time with other people provides companionship and support — and helps you maintain activities and relationships that are important to your quality of life.

When you’re living with a diagnosis of MCI or early Alzheimer’s, that’s especially critical.

How to stay socially connected after a diagnosis

There’s no one way to stay social. What feels right to you will depend on factors such as your personality (like whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert at heart) and your health (like how far your dementia has progressed and how you’re feeling at any given time).

“You don’t need to force yourself to become a super-social person if that’s not in your nature,” Dr. Bender says. “But when social isolation is producing loneliness, that can start to affect your health.”

He offers suggestions for staying social, engaged and well-connected — which can, in turn, benefit your brain health.

1. Find activities you enjoy

Identify something you like doing that you can fit into your regular routine. For example, you might:

• Join a support group.
• Find an activity group related to a hobby you enjoy.
• Participate in a faith community.
• Attend local events or community programs.

Feeling a little overwhelmed? It’s OK to start small and within your comfort zone: Reach out to a friend you haven’t talked to for a while or schedule a weekly phone call with a relative.

2. Combine socializing with other types of mental activity

Dr. Bender suggests looking for opportunities to combine socialization with other types of mental activity.

“Activities that combine socializing with ongoing opportunities for learning seem to be especially beneficial,” he shares. “For example, music therapy programs integrate rhythm, physical movement and sensory perception — and if you're playing music with other people, there’s that social dimension, too.”

You could also:

• Do activities with a loved one. You could learn to garden with your child or make bracelets with your grandkid. You’ll get to bond while learning a new skill.
• Take a class. Learning something new (think drawing, pottery or whatever floats your boat) gives your brain a workout and gives you the chance to chat with other people.
• Join a book club or discussion group. Reading counts as mental activity. If you’re worried you’ll have trouble remembering the book well enough to discuss it with others, take notes as you read.

These options won’t all appeal to everyone. And if they don’t feel right to you, that’s OK! Dr. Bender emphasizes that the key is to find activities that you enjoy and feel comfortable doing — not to force yourself to become an extrovert if that’s not in your nature.

“Do what feels good for you, and don’t feel like you have to do more,” he encourages. “It should be enjoyable, not stressful.”

3. Preserve your hearing

Don’t let hearing loss get in the way of your ability to socialize, Dr. Bender urges.

“Untreated hearing loss is considered the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia,” he reports. “When people can’t hear, they often withdraw from social life because they have a harder time following what’s going on around them.”

If hearing difficulties are making it tough for you to participate in conversations, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help identify and treat hearing issues that stand in the way of your ability to connect with friends, family and community.

Other tips to keep in mind while socializing

These additional suggestions can help you make the most of your time with other people and avoid feeling stressed or fatigued.

• Be mindful of noise. Sensory overload can ... well, overload you. You may find it easier to socialize in quiet spaces where there’s less input from the environment around you.
• Skip large groups. If you find it stressful or exhausting to socialize with big groups of people, stick to one-on-one hangouts or smaller groups, where you can follow the flow of conversations more easily.
• Connect from afar. Video calls can help you stay “social” with faraway loved ones. “It’s not the same as face-to-face conversations, but it’s more akin to real social interaction than other forms of online communication,” Dr. Bender says.

But use social media with caution. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram can offer an incredible opportunity to keep up with faraway friends and loved ones. But that shouldn’t happen at the expense of spending real, in-person time with other people.

“Research shows that scrolling and reacting on social media is actually associated with greater feelings of isolation and loneliness,” Dr. Bender cautions. “So, social media isn’t a substitute for person-to-person social engagement.”

Encourage caregiver socialization, too

Caregiving can be an isolating role. But when your caregivers are healthy and well, they can do a better job of helping you stay healthy and well. So, it’s important for the loved ones who participate in your care to stay social, too.

“Caregivers often don’t get many breaks,” Dr. Bender acknowledges. “So, there’s a lack of social activity and engagement there, which contributes to stress, which feeds into the likelihood of burnout.”

Final thoughts

Socializing can’t cure MCI or early Alzheimer’s disease. But building and maintaining connections may help your brain adapt and compensate when it needs to.

“Human beings are social animals,” Dr. Bender reiterates. “Having a rich social life helps keep your brain healthy and stimulates neuroplasticity.”

So, whether you’re spending time with loved ones or trying a new group activity, be sure to make space in your life for social connections. They give your brain the opportunity to stay active — and that can keep you feeling better longer.