For seniors, building and maintaining friendships is crucial for mental, physical and emotional health. Unfortunately, making friends when you’re older isn’t always as easy when you were younger. Social circles wane with time as friends move away or pass on, leaving some older adults longing for companionship and connection. Health problems and mobility issues can also make it harder to find opportunities to build new relationships.
So, how can seniors combat loneliness and create new friendships as they age? For many older adults, moving to a senior living community offers the perfect solution. At Country Place Senior living, friendships come easily and naturally for our residents. Here, seniors enjoy opportunities to engage in various activities and programs where residents can connect with others who share similar interests and experiences.
Here’s a closer look at the benefits of friendship in your golden years and how senior living communities help foster healthy relationships for older adults.
The Value of Friendships for Older Adults
Did you know that seniors who feel lonely or isolated have a much higher risk of physical and mental decline? And just as loneliness can hurt our health, solid friendships can improve our overall wellness. Benefits of friendships for seniors include:
Friendships reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Loneliness is a common feeling experienced by older adults, and one that can have serious negative consequences on their quality of life. Whether a spouse passes away or friends and neighbors move, retired seniors may find themselves living alone and without anyone to connect with. It is critical to combat these negative feelings by having meaningful human connections. Transitioning to a senior living community can help combat feelings of loneliness and present numerous opportunities to forge new friendships with older adults in your same season of life.
Friendships keep your brain sharp.
An important benefit of friendship in older adults is that it can boost your cognitive ability and keep your brain sharp. Regular activities like engaging in conversations, participating in group activities and sharing experiences with others can help maintain cognitive function and prevent cognitive decline. These connections help stimulate the brain, improve memory and contribute to lifelong learning, ultimately promoting an active, healthy mind.
Friendships support physical health.
Staying active in your senior years is vital to preventing the risk of serious health issues while maintaining strength and independence. But it can also be challenging to stay active on your own. Within a senior living community, residents can participate in a variety of group activities that promote physical health. Whether it’s a guided fitness class or a walk around the community grounds, when you exercise with friends, you will be more motivated to achieve your fitness goals, reduce the risk of a sedentary lifestyle and improve mobility. Additionally, a strong social support network can provide encouragement for seniors to prioritize their health, leading to healthier lifestyle choices, like good nutrition.
Friendships create a sense of belonging.
Friendships within a community like Country Place can help older adults feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. This sense of belonging can help improve mental health and contribute to a more positive outlook on life.
Good Friends Are Waiting for You at Country Place
At a time in life when nurturing old relationships and building new friendships seems difficult, it’s important for seniors to seek out opportunities to socialize and connect with others. One of the many draws to a senior living community, like Country Place, is the abundance of opportunities to connect with friends available right outside your door.
Our Life Enrichment Program — designed by our full-time Activities Coordinator — is filled with a variety of monthly activities, like fitness classes, game nights and Bible studies, designed to foster an environment where friendships can grow. We find that when our residents make it a priority to regularly attend the events or activities that interest them, they quickly start to develop new friendships within the community.
To learn more about Country Place Senior Living, schedule an in-person tour today!
