Strong Family Ties Can Mean Increased Health and Happiness

According to a national poll conducted by Harris Interactive/Modern Woodmen of America, 90 percent of Americans agree that spending time with extended family is important. Also, the research found that nearly four out of five of the participants (79 percent) agreed they would like to get together more often with family, but 75 percent also say that staying in touch with family members can be difficult.

"The need to bond with family members is wired into us," explains Dr. Vern Bengtson, professor of gerontology and sociology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. "Families provide a sense of support and an identity of who we are and what’s unique about us. Most people rely on family interactions to provide an affirming, positive experience."

As an added bonus, close extended family relationships can have educational, economical and professional benefits. According to Michael Benjamin, executive director for the Council On Family Relations in Minneapolis, people with extended family contacts tend to be more literate and reach out to get more education and better jobs.

The problem is that getting together isn’t simple. Many Americans acknowledge that modern life presents challenges to maintaining the family relationships and attending the family events they feel are important.

Since there are more constraints than ever on Americans’ time, Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization based in Rock Island, Ill., created an easily accessible tool to help bring families together. The Gatherings Web site www.gatherings.info, offers people the tools to make planning a gathering simple and fun. Users can navigate through tips, lists and ideas on how to organize a gathering, whether small or large.

"Our role as a fraternal benefit society is to help families improve their quality of life. Creating a tool to help people save time when planning a family get-together is another way to do that," said Modern Woodmen's Sharon Snawerdt.

The site also offers families a chance to win the Gatherings Sweepstakes. Entrants can register for a grand prize of a preplanned gathering worth up to $5,000.

Special occasions are not the only time of the year when families can meet and bond.

"People still see the value of gathering with family for a variety of reasons, from weddings to birthday parties to holidays," agrees Bengtson. "My colleagues and I have followed 2,000 individuals since 1971, and 80 percent of them report getting together with family so often you can predict when the next gathering will be."

Research confirms that spending time with family is one of the most important aspects of our lives. Using the information on this site makes planning those gatherings, whether formal or spontaneous, a little bit easier.