As we get older, we tend to start losing contact with our friends as we or they move away or simply lose touch. Spending time with others in a meaningful and social way is important no matter how old you are though, and if you find yourself looking to meet new people and make new friends, it might feel like a daunting task. It doesn’t need to be difficult though! Here are five ways you can interact with people and hopefully make a few friends along the way.
Join a Book Club
It doesn’t have to be a book club; it can be any general interest group! Film clubs, music clubs, and book clubs are all great ways to interact with not only people your age but also like-minded people with the same interests as you. Many communities and assisted living Memphis TN homes have existing groups you can join, or you can start your own.
Group Activities
Just like a meeting of the mind in a book club, meeting others who share similar hobbies to you in a group activity can also open the door to make new friends and meet new people. This might be something as simple as a jigsaw puzzle group, or it could be something active like an evening walking group. There are no limits to the kinds of activities you can join or do – and there are some meetups and organizing websites that make this easy as pie. Perhaps using these sites is a good reason to take a class on how to use the internet!
Take a Class
Not only will this keep your mind active, which is very important as you get older, but you’ll also keep learning new things that interest you. When you take these classes, you’re also very likely to interact with others when you take an adult education class. Many universities or schools offer some sort of adult education programme, so look around and join something that interests you.
Start Playing a Sport
We’re not talking about full-contact American Football of course. There are many sports that seniors can play and enjoy with others that are easy on the body. Sports like croquet and bowls are perfect to limber up creaking hips and enjoy some time outside with new people. Sports clubs are very social places both while you’re playing the sport and afterwards, where it’s not uncommon to socialise over a drink with your fellow clubmates.
Volunteer
Do some good for the world while you spend time interacting without people and meeting new friends by volunteering with a local charity group. Joining a soup kitchen or feeding the hungry programme – or even spending some of your time at a local animal shelter – is a perfect way to get some much-needed human interaction, and to meet some new friends while you’re at it.
There you have it – five ways you can try to meet new people. Sometimes meeting people will mean getting out of your comfort zone, but the good times you’ll have with your new friends will be worth it.