Source New Friends From Your Extended Circle
Many places offer senior-specific exercise classes, which can be a great way to meet other people. Check out your local rec center or community center and ask about things like senior Tai Chi, water aerobics, walking groups, yoga, pilates, and more. Or, get started with a local pickeball group, golf group, senior paddle boarding club, dance classes, or anything that grabs your interest. Chances are there is a senior or beginner group for whatever you’re interested in.
Making friends as a senior is important for health too. A study on friendship and emotional health showed that having friendships as an older adult led to “higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.” Another study on health and relationships showed better functioning and physical health in older adults with good relationship support, including non-strained friendships.
Volunteer at Local Community Events
So many of us go our entire lives without knowing the people who live three doors down. Get to know the people in your area by volunteering at local community events.
And don’t only offer to volunteer for senior-specific ones. Grandparents still show up to back-to-school events and people of all ages will browse a pop-up shop. The point here is to discover the people in your area that want to make local friends just like you and spend some time with them.
Many seniors find that they lose work friends post-retirement. Volunteering somewhere can help you make new friends you’ll regularly interact with through your volunteer work. Plus, you know that you both care about the same cause, which can help you form an even stronger bond.
By your 60s, you probably have a pretty good circle of friends and acquaintances, so why not use them? Ask them if they have any other seniors in their life that might be looking for some new friends and haven’t quite found the right people yet.
You never know! You might have a cousin with a friend that lives just across town who has a similar interest as you and would love to hang out.
Go Analogue and Join a Penpal Program
From doorbells that can see our faces to giant screens in the middle of our car dashboards, we’re inundated with technology all day long. Use a more tactile way to make new friends by joining a penpal program.
Friends come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s something so intimate about writing a note by hand. Being able to keep those mementos and watch your friendship progress in real time is a forgotten art.
Take a Class on Something You’re Interested In
Why not kill two birds with one stone by making new friends and exercising your brain? As you get older, it’s super important to stretch your mental muscles just as much as your physical ones. Think about something you’re interested in learning or practicing: a new language, a new craft, perfecting recipes etc.
When you join a class, everyone comes together with a common goal and half the stress of making new friends aka finding something to talk about is wiped away.
When you attend a class or lesson and someone seems like they might be a good friend fit, be purposeful with your interactions. Exchange numbers or ask about meeting up before or after the next class. Not everyone will turn out to be friendship material, but taking the step towards the potential friendship can go a long way.
Participate in Faith-Based Organizations
Depending on your personal faith journey, you might find comfort and new friendships when surrounded by people who share your faith. Look into traditional institutions to visit regularly and get acquainted with the community there. Or if you’re less mobile, ask these faith groups if they have outreach programs you can attend.
