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Review
In 2024, there will be more than 2 billion older people worldwide, accounting for 25% of the total population. In China, the number of elderly people is as high as 400 million, accounting for 28% of the total population.
These figures show that we are in an era of an aging population, and the elderly are an important part of society, they have rich life experience and wisdom, and they also have their own needs and expectations.
However, older people also face a variety of problems in their lives, which not only affect their physical and mental health, but also cause burdens and challenges to society and families.
Therefore, we urgently need a good way to improve the quality of physical and mental health of the elderly. At this time, the research team on the other side of the ocean came up with an idea, that is, to play mahjong!
The problem of the elderly cannot be ignored
The physical health problems of the elderly are one of the problems that we often hear about in our daily lives and are quite common. As they age, the elderly's body gradually becomes less than before, and they are prone to a series of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc. These health problems not only affect the daily lives of the elderly, but also increase the cost of medical care and the need for care.
For example, statistics show that nearly 2 million elderly people die every year due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, accounting for more than 50% of the deaths of the elderly.
In addition, older people may also experience problems such as hearing and hearing impairment or injuries to their legs and feet, which can make their lives more difficult. According to data, nearly 150 million elderly people in China suffer from hearing loss, accounting for 37% of the total number of elderly people.
The mental health of the elderly cannot be ignored either. They face various psychological difficulties, such as retirement, widowhood, death of a friend, and other life changes, which can trigger various negative emotions. These emotions not only have an impact on the mental health of older adults, but can also lead to a decline in physical health.
In mainland China, for example, the suicide rate among the elderly is twice the national average, and nearly 100,000 elderly people die every year. The prevalence of depression is also as high as 23.6%, far exceeding that of other age groups.
In addition, older adults may also experience a decline in cognitive function and sometimes even develop dementia. These problems not only bring annoyance to the elderly themselves, but also bring additional burdens to families and society.
Finally, we should also pay attention to the issue of social support for the elderly. Older people may face more difficulties in society, such as a decline in social status and a lack of participation, which can lead to older people feeling that they have lost some of their worth and dignity.
In the family, older people may also feel a lack of support, such as children who are unable to provide adequate care and companionship due to their busy work and life, or generation gaps and conflicts with older people, making older people feel isolated and neglected.
In the community, older people can also feel unsafe and inconvenient if the environment is not adequate for the life and activities of the elderly, or if the services provided by the community are not adequate to meet the needs of the elderly.
Mahjong is actually a cure?
What does playing mahjong have to do with physical and mental health? Isn't it just a pastime to kill time, or a bad gambling habit?
This is not my nonsense, but it is backed up by science. The results of the study come from a survey conducted by the University of Georgia in the United States. So, how did the survey work, and what did it do?
The survey was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Georgia, and their aim was to study the impact of social activities on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults. They selected nearly 11,000 residents age 45 and older, ranging from a variety of ethnic groups in the Native United States to immigrant seniors from around the world.
The research team used a detailed questionnaire to investigate the daily social activities of these residents, as well as their mental health. In addition, they collected basic information about these residents for analysis and comparison.
Through the statistics and analysis of the data, the research team found some interesting phenomena. First, they found a significant positive correlation between the frequency of social activities and mental health, that is, the more frequent the social activity, the better the level of mental health. This is consistent with the results of previous studies, suggesting that social activities have an important positive effect on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults.
Secondly, they found that the type and content of social activities have different effects on mental health, and among them, playing mahjong is an activity that has a significant positive impact on mental health. They were surprised to find that fewer of the older people who played mahjong were frustrated for a long time and showed stronger social skills.
This result was contrary to their expectations, as they originally believed that playing mahjong could lead to bad consequences such as gambling, quarrels, tobacco and alcohol.
They suggest a number of possible explanations for this result:
- Playing mahjong is able to exercise the brain and improve cognitive function. Because this game requires better concentration, memory, and judgment, using these functions regularly is very beneficial to the brain and helps prevent cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer's.
- Playing mahjong can boost positive emotions and reduce negative emotions. This activity can bring fun and excitement, relieve stress and boredom, increase self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment, and reduce negative emotions such as depression and anxiety.
- Playing mahjong will help improve social skills and build strong interpersonal relationships. Participating in this activity requires cooperation and competition, developing communication and coordination skills, increasing friendship and trust, expanding social circles and resources, and promoting mental health.
These benefits show that playing mahjong is not only a recreational activity, but also a good medicine, which can bring multiple benefits to the physical and mental health of the elderly. Of course, this does not mean that playing mahjong does not have any risks and drawbacks, and we should also pay attention to some questions and suggestions so that playing mahjong does not become a harm.
epilogue
This study sheds light on the potential benefits of playing mahjong on the physical and mental health of middle-aged and older adults, providing a more positive perspective for us to re-examine this traditional form of entertainment. In the future, we look forward to further research and understanding to better utilize social activities as a simple and effective way to promote the overall health and well-being of middle-aged and older adults.
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