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Good Places for Seniors to Meet and Make New Friends

As people grow older, sometimes they lose friends. Whether their friends and them grow apart, of their friends grow old and pass away, some seniors find themselves becoming very lonely. Loneliness is not healthy for anyone, but it can be especially harmful for seniors. If your elderly loved one does not seem to have many friends and does not know what to do about it, then you can help them by suggesting a few of the places below. All of these places are great places that seniors can go in order to meet new people and make great friends.

Senior centers often offer numerous opportunities for seniors to meet people, but sometimes going to a senior center is not enough. If your loved one does not have access to a senior center, or is not meeting many people there, then the following places may be great for them. Have your loved one try a few of these places, and they may just find a new hang out place that they truly love. Not all of these events or places may be in your loved one’s local community, but if your loved one lives in a larger community or close to one, then they may have access to some of these cool events.

Seniors Ballroom Dancing Event

Going ballroom dancing may be just the thing that your loved one needs to do in order to get back out there and make some new friends. Many senior centers and local community centers put on senior ballroom dancing events that teach seniors how to dance and give them the proper arena to bust a move. No matter what your loved one’s level of mobility is, or their dancing skill level is, they can attend one of these events and have a blast. Plus, they can even make a few new friends.

Gardening Club

Gardening is a great activity for people of all ages. Many seniors love to garden flowers, vegetables, shrubs and more. Local communities often have gardening clubs that your loved one can join. Through these clubs, your loved one can meet new people and improve their gardening skills. To find out if your loved one’s community has a gardening club, contact their community’s horticulture society.

Seniors Travel Group

If your elderly loved one absolutely adores traveling, then they may love to join a senior travel group. These groups do everything from day trips to long extended trips. Senior travel groups place people together who love to travel, so it is likely that your elderly loved one could find friends who have the same interests as them. They can even choose a travel group that is geared towards single seniors or towards couples in order to cater to their romantic needs.

Seniors Cruise

Much like joining a travel club, many cruise lines offer senior cruises for people above a certain age. Your loved one may enjoy one of these cruises. They would get to see a part of the world they had never seen before, and may get to meet a variety of people. Senior cruises offer food, music, dancing and many more activities that your loved ones can enjoy. Plus, they are a great place to meet new people.

The Golf Course

Many seniors enjoy golfing, so a local golf course or the local club house would be a great place to meet new people. Spending time golfing and at the club house can allow seniors to meet a variety of people who share their interests.

Seniors Fitness Class

Staying fit in their old age should be a priority for seniors. To help stay fit and to meet new friends, seniors could join a senior fitness class at their local gym. These courses are geared towards people above certain ages and geared towards their skill levels. Your loved one does not have to be physically fit to begin a class, but they do have to be motivated to stay fit.

Facebook

Facebook is a wonderful way to meet new people and reconnect with old friends. By teaching your elderly loved ones how to set up a Facebook page, you can help them find groups that are geared towards seniors in their communities. Plus, you can help them find old friends and reconnect with them online.

Local Theater Group

If your loved one is theatrical or simply loves the theater, then they may enjoy joining a local theater group. Through a theater group, your loved one can participate in local plays by acting or by working in the theater. Many seniors enjoy working as ushers, working at the concessions stand, and working at sets. Plus, your loved ones can meet members of the casts and other seniors who are in the group.

Church Groups

Churches are wonderful places to meet new people. Many churches have special groups and Bible studies just for seniors. By joining a senior church group, your loved one can fellowship with other seniors and can make many new friends.

School Reunions

School reunions are a great place to catch up with old friends. Your loved ones may even reconnect with some of their old friends and stay in touch with them.

Book Clubs

If your loved one enjoys reading, then they may enjoy joining a book club. Their community may have book clubs especially for seniors that they can join and meet new people.

Meeting new people as you grow older may be difficult, especially for seniors who are shy. But, the first step to meeting new people is to get out of the house. By getting out of the house and joining in on some of these activities or events, seniors can meet new people and find new activities that they love.

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