On July 30th the world is celebrating International Day of Friendship! This event gives people an opportunity to connect and become friends. Friendship is important not only on an individual level - it is extremely important globally. Friendship crosses borders, and can help bring peace in the whole world! To care about others helps us work together towards building a peaceful future. That is why the United Nations (UN) declared the International Day of Friendship as its official day!
This international celebration was first suggested by the World Friendship Crusade. This organisation was founded by Dr Ramón Artemio Bracho and his friends in Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay, in 1958. They wanted to support the power of friendship and its importance in creating a culture of peace. So, in the same year, they decided to celebrate Friendship Week in Puerto Pinasco and other places around Paraguay. The following year, they repeated the week and finished on 30th July, which they declared as Friendship Day. From there, celebrations of friendship grew and spread across the Americas, then the world, and eventually the UN declared an International Day of Friendship in 2011 (credit – British Council).
Friendship and social care support was studied in a number of researches, and it became obvious that sharing problems with a supportive friend lowered pulse and blood pressure, and is extremely beneficial for mental health of people of all ages and at all stages in life! Good friendship have a myriad of benefits, such as decreased development of such mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, and increased feelings of belonging, purpose, increased levels of happiness, reduced levels of stress, improved self-worth and confidence.
The older we become, the more difficult it can be to make new friends. That is why keeping in touch with old, sometimes lifelong, friends is so important for elderly. They are not going out as much as they used to, and they may not be fluent in using modern technologies to connect with friends virtually. Live-in Carers are the perfect companions to support your loved ones. They provide Live-in Care, support and companionship for elderly loved ones who do not see their friends often enough.
Here are some ideas how we can celebrate the International Day of Friendship:
The first, and possibly the best, is to meet up with your friends! It does not really matter what your will be doing – going for a walk, or spending a day in the garden with a cup of tea. What matters is being together, laughing at those funny memories from the past, and sharing your news. Tell your friends how much you appreciate them - everyone likes to hear that.
If you struggle to arrange this day, your Home Carer will organise a nice day for your and your friend, and will be on hand to help you with anything you need! Very often relationships between Clients and Living in Carers turn into a real friendship.
If you have not seen your friends for a while because you live far away, why not reach out to them over FaceTime or Zoom? Modern technologies allow us not just to call our loved ones, but also to see them. It feels like they are not miles away but just around the corner!
Live-in Carers are always available to help you connect with your loved ones. Brighten up your friend’s day by giving them a FaceTime call to show how grateful you are to have them in your live. However you celebrate the International Friendship Day, the spirit is the same – to remember the importance of friends and the power of friendship!
Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness so on International Day of Friendship, do something special with your friends because a friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are. People who nurture positive relationships are often happier, healthier, and live longer.
If you would like to talk to us about arranging a Live-in Carer for yourself or a loved one, please call our friendly office team on 01264 319 399 and we'll be delighted to help!