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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – As everyone heads out of the house after a year of lockdown, seniors too are part of the surge. They’re looking to get moving, get involved in clubs and causes, and get some new friends in their social circles. Seniors stay younger through involvement with other people – relationships among friends are shown to improve well being, sometimes even more than family.
It’s commonly believed that it’s harder to make friends as you age. This both is and isn’t true. While seniors no longer have built-in connections with people at school or in the workplace, they do have extra time, and the opportunity to create their own social networks. The solution? Be proactive! Get out there and meet people while having fun and learning new things. Here are some great ways to start.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors
Love getting out in the sunshine? So do a lot of potential friends. See if you can find some listings for seniors’ walking clubs, bird watching at the local park, or gardening clubs.
There are also great opportunities at golf courses. Although golf is increasingly practiced by people of all ages, it does still skew towards the older crowd. You might bump into some like-minded seniors on the course and then continue the fun at the clubhouse. Many places also have seniors-only leagues, great for people who are more serious about the sport.
Volunteering
Have a cause that you’re passionate about? There’s a good chance that they have a place for senior volunteers. For instance, the Corporation for National and Community Service has the Senior Corps branch. Meanwhile, former President Jimmy Carter has famously kept working at Habitat for Humanity into his 90s. This is a great way to make the world a better place and meet like-minded people of all ages. Give your local theater, school, or veterinary center a call, offering them your skills and experience.
Seniors-only Exercise Classes
With your doctor’s okay, you may want to check out exercise classes that are designed just for seniors. These include aqua-aerobics, yoga, cycling, and strength training. You can find these at your local gym, the YMCA, public pools, and even the fitness center of hospitals. Make sure this fits with your medical regime – if you’re increasingly concerned about fall detection with a medical alert system in your home or even with a wearable device, the more passive exercises may be the ones for you.
These places offer a supportive, judgment-free environment for everyone, from fitness beginners on up. You’ll also be under the eye of an instructor who knows how to adapt exercises to work with senior bodies. And the exercise itself is of course the prime benefit.
Beginner-Friendly Dance Classes
Want to enjoy the music of yesteryear or tunes from around the world? Dance classes cater to dancers of every experience level. Some of the most popular with the senior set include Jazzercise, square dance, swing, ballroom dance such as waltz, and Latin dances such as cha-cha.
It’s never too late to pick up a few dance moves or to bust out steps you learned many years ago. Meanwhile, if it turns out that you have two left feet, you’ll have plenty of company laughing along with you.
Meetup Groups
The online platform Meetup is the best known of several online services that list groups, but there are others. You can browse via website or app and see what groups are available in your home area. Some of these are specifically for seniors looking to make friends. Others focus on a particular interest such as wine tasting or classic movies. You can get an idea ahead of time how many people may be coming to each event. This lets you choose between smaller and more intimate gatherings, and big crowds perfect for extroverts.
Community Center Classes
Community centers don’t often post classes as ‘seniors-only.’ However, classes that are held during the working day may be mostly older adults. This is a great way to pick up new hobbies like painting or to brush off your computer skills. And of course, mingling with other age groups is a good thing too.
Classes also take some of the pressure off of socializing. You have easy topics for small talk in the form of what the teacher’s presenting. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can gracefully duck out of a conversation and return to the lesson.
Religious Groups
There’s a good chance that your religious institution holds group meetings for seniors – if not, consider starting one. If your faith is a large part of your life, you can explore that while also meeting potential new friends.
This is a highly convenient option that could help you make friendships quite fast. Many of these groups are held right after the worship you just attended, no additional trips out needed. You may also be passing familiar with the other seniors attending. Now you have the chance to build a deeper friendship with people who might otherwise stay acquaintances.
Senior Cruises and Travel Clubs
All this time inside has people longing to see the world again – travel is on again. Cruises and travel clubs are one way to do this with less hassle than planning your own trip. Cruise ships as we know can take you to exotic destinations ranging from sun-drenched Caribbean islands to the frozen coast of Alaska. And as with any travel nowadays, especially congregating with groups of people, it sets everyone’s mind at ease if travelers get a rapid test for infection before setting off. Meanwhile, senior travel clubs generally offer shorter trips to closer attractions. These range from a daylong outing at the local botanical garden to a long weekend exploring the best cuisine in a nearby city.
Friendships at Every Age
Good friendships are worth their weight in gold. They enrich your life, giving you something to look forward to with every passing day and every phone call. Close friendships in the senior years have also been linked with better physical health and greater happiness and life satisfaction. It may take a little trial and error, but you can find the right people for your social circle at any age.