How to Make Senior Friends After 50
Many seniors feel that making friends at their age is hard. Everyone seems too busy with their own lives to spare much of a thought for anyone else. If the children have left home, feelings of loneliness can be even more intense. On top of that, opportunities to meet new people become rarer after 50. However, if you’re feeling lonely, know that you’re not the only one. Your situation is not hopeless and there are many ways to meet new people. Here is our best advice for making friends when you are over 50.
1. Engage in conversations with strangers
The problem when you’re isolated is that you seem to lose your social skills and forget how to interact with other people. However, even if you don’t go out as often as before, there are still plenty of ideal occasions to start a conversation with strangers. You still go grocery shopping, receive mail, get gas from the station or take the bus. The postman, the baker, the grocer, the person queuing in front of you - all of them are potential friends. Why not start a conversation with them? They might be interesting and fun. And even if, eventually, your efforts don't lead to a friendship, you can still mark it down as excellent practice for the future!2. Join a group
Remember how much easier it was to make friends when you were a child and at school? Well, why not kill two birds with one stone? Meet people and learn new skills at the same time by taking a class (painting, cooking or computing, it’s up to you!).You could also make the most of your interests and join a book club or a walking group, if this is what you enjoy doing. Starting a conversation with strangers is always easier within the context of a smaller group, even more so with people who share the same interests.
3. Find friends online
If you enjoy using social media such as Facebook, why not try contacting your old friends again? Catch up on each other’s news, chat a little and fix a date to talk about old times! If you are not on any of the social networks yet, consider registering, as this is a great way to stay in contact or meet people. You could also join online groups for people over 50 looking for friendship. There are plenty of them!Another idea is to search for friends on a dating website. For instance, on 2seniors.com, you can find people living in your area. You’re able to read their profile to see if you share the same interests. And if you think you could be friends, send them a message and start chatting with them!
4. Travel with other seniors
It’s incredible how much easier it is to start a conversation when you’re traveling. Perhaps this is because you’re more relaxed (and therefore, more receptive), and so are the people you’re meeting. On top of that, the solo travel market is huge. It’s the same for the senior travel market.You’ll notice straight away that fifty plus people are everywhere, whether they are participating in organized/escorted tours, boat cruises, holiday clubs… The thing is that most people over 50 love traveling. Discovering the world is definitely the best way to make new friends.