Seniors struggle with many issues: mobility, diseases, memory. But only a handful of people talk about problems with staying socially active.
Having a healthy social life is significant in many ways. First of all, it has a positive impact on people’s happiness, thus it is essential in fighting depression. Being social also helps in fighting diseases. Various research has shown that seniors who don’t spend enough time with friends and family have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
However, connecting with others can become difficult once you get to a certain age. Your friends and family may live far away, and you don’t get many opportunities to socialize with new people.
Check out these ideas that help older adults to stay socially connected and mingle with other people.
Volunteering
Volunteering for the elderly is one of the ways to reduce loneliness. See what opportunities for volunteering are in your area. Perhaps the Red Cross recruits new members, or there are NGOs that may be of your interest.
Nowadays, it is easy to find a volunteering project oversees. You want to travel and experience another culture? Help others on the way? Then Google international volunteering projects.
Volunteering is fun, and you can meet a lot of new people.
Seniors Clubs
Senior clubs are a great way of staying socially connected with people. In these clubs, older adults gather over different activities. Do you like playing cards or perhaps chess? Are you more into sports or photography? There are clubs for almost anything you can think of.
Such clubs are great because you don’t just mingle with people your age, but with seniors who share the same passion. You can extend your knowledge about certain topics and teach others as well. Membership is usually free, or there may be a small fee.
Certain universities in the country offer classes to seniors. If you feel like learning new skills and connecting with peers who feel the same, you can register at a usually discounted price.
Senior Travel Groups
Do you like traveling, but need company on the way? Find a senior travel group.
Such groups organize weekend excursions to nearby places or even longer international trips. Connect with other seniors whose passion is exploring new places. Not only you will be discovering unexplored destinations, but you will have the opportunity to make new friendships.
These groups can be easily found online, and you can start with ElderTreks. Retirement is a perfect time for traveling and meeting new people.
Social Networks
There are numerous advantages of social networks for older adults. It is a great way to stay in touch with your friends and family. Also, social networks are especially great to get in touch with people you lost contact with. Nowadays, everyone is online!
However, have in mind that nothing can substitute face-to-face contact. Chat with your friends via Facebook, Meetup, or another platform, but ask them to go for a coffee and meet in person.
Social networks can help you easily communicate with others and have many other advantages, but only if used moderately. Spending too much time on these web sites can have the opposite effect.
Are you feeling lonely? Then don’t just sit in front of the TV all day. There are many ways to stay socially connected with your friends and family and even make new friendships.
Think about volunteering in your community, join a senior club for your interest, or find a senior travel club. An active social life has many health benefits, and life itself is way more fun, isn’t it?
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