7 Tips for Seniors Looking to Make Friends
Do you have a senior in your life that is feeling lonely and really struggling to make new friends? Maybe it’s you that is the senior and you want a way to branch out and widen your social circle so you have more people to chat with and visit. Making friends as a senior may seem a bit difficult on the surface, but in reality, there are many different ways you can go about it. There is absolutely no reason why you can’t expand your social circle.
So, let’s look at seven tips that seniors can use in order to make new friends and find that companionship they crave.
Start Volunteering in Your Local Community
Here’s a way to meet people while also giving back to the community you live in – making it a win-win. Most communities have a large selection of volunteering opportunities which means you can really find something that speaks to your interest and would allow you to connect with like-minded people. You’ll be meeting others that live in your city/town allowing you to strike up conversations and new friendships.
Some of the more popular places to volunteer include schools, the local library, community centers, hospitals, and even local theaters.
Join a Seniors Club, Team or Sport
This is also a great time to look into what organized clubs, teams, and sports your city or town offers that are specifically for seniors. The activity will act as an instant icebreaker, allowing you to chat with ease and confidence. Many of these organized functions will meet more than once a week too, so that gives you lots of opportunities to connect and be social.
In terms of what organized activity is best, here’s where you can really think about your specific interest. Maybe you like the idea of joining a knitting club, a scrapbooking club, or even a seniors lawn bowling league, or darts. There are so many different options available.
While these activities tend to be held at local community centers and sports facilities, churches can also have their own list of activities that you may want to look into.
Join a Church Community
This brings us to the next way seniors can meet friends which is to join a church community. Churches have their own social network if you will, and seniors tend to play a huge role in that community by both organizing it and being part of it.
Besides the actual church service, you can also take part in sponsor outreach, events in the community, classes, and clubs.
Consider a Seniors Residence
Of course, one of the best ways for seniors to make friends is to move into a senior living community or residence. This will provide an instant network of people in the same age group with whom they can socialize. They don’t have to go anywhere in order to connect with friends, and many of these styles of residences have common spaces where seniors can gather to chat, play games, and just enjoy one another’s company.
If you’re looking for more information on this type of senior living and lifestyle, you can visit the website of Frontier Management here. As you start to look into these various senior residences, you’ll find that they offer a variety of living plan options that will be based on the senior’s specific needs. For example, they may be looking for an independent living lifestyle, or perhaps they need an assisted lifestyle. The idea is that there is something that fits each person’s needs so that they can be comfortable in their new home.
Of course, it’s a good idea to also tour any facility in person before making a decision. This will give the senior a much more realistic picture of what they can expect if they were to move there.
Combine Exercise with Socializing
As a senior, it is incredibly important that you stay active – for both your physical and mental well-being. So, why not join a seniors exercise club? What’s great about these clubs or classes is that the exercises are all geared towards seniors, making them safe and comfortable to do. You’ll be busy with physical activity all while meeting new faces. It’s the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation after class and go grab a coffee together.
Adult Learning Classes Can be a Great Avenue
Seniors tend to have much more free time available to them, so why not fill that time with something educational? Adult learning classes give you a way to learn a new skill, topic, or subject, and again you’ll be put into a scenario that opens the door to meeting people. Think of it as a new study buddy if you will.
Make a Habit of Setting Up Those Get Togethers
While there is a lot of emphasis on how and where to meet new friends, it’s also important to follow through. That initial meeting is great, but then you want to be sure you’re making the effort to connect with your new friends. This means setting up get-togethers, a lunch together, grabbing a drink, meeting in the park, chatting on the phone, and so forth. You need to feed that friendship so it can flourish.
If you’ve got a group of friends, then you can even plan group gatherings like a potluck dinner or lunch, a cards night, or a board game night – whatever strikes your fancy. Even if you only do this once a month, it can be a great event for everyone to look forward to.
Branching Out of the Comfort Zone
A big part of making new friends as a senior is to branch out of your comfort zone and your everyday schedule. In order to make new friends, you need to put yourself out there, make yourself accessible, and be part of those situations that allow for socialization. While it can be a bit intimidating at first, once you start to make those new connections, you’ll find it gets easier and easier to find even more friends.
