By: Royane Real

Author of   “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends”

Making new friends when you're older can sometimes be difficult, but it's important to have a good social life in your later years.  Making new friendships as you age, will help you keep your mind and spirit alive. 

Having a good social life is important for your physical health too, especially as you get older.  Many studies of older people have shown that those seniors who are lonely and who are socially isolated have a lower quality of life and have more health problems than those seniors who maintain a rich social network of family and friends.

Sometimes it can be hard for older people to make new friends.  There are many reasons for this.  Older people may become more isolated because they can no longer easily drive, walk or take the bus.  They may become too tired to take a trip that involves several hours to see a friend or acquaintance.  In some cases, money becomes a problem, and sometimes older people no longer have a lot of money to spend on entertainment or transportation.

Often, making new friendships becomes difficult for older people because of various health problems.  It can be hard to make a pleasant conversation with a new person if you no longer see well, or you find it difficult to hear.

Another very real problem for senior citizens who try to make new friends is that in some cases, the rest of the world does not seem to value them.  The attitude towards older people varies in different cultures.  There are some cultures where the opinion of older people is very much respected.  And there are some cultures where older people are ignored, and often shoved aside.

Just because it may be harder to make new friends when you get older, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

If you want to make sure you still have friendship, fun and companionship in your old age, you should start putting together a happy social life now.  It doesn’t matter if you have been shy most of your life, or if you think you are too old to start making new friends.  You still have the rest of your life ahead of you.  If you want to make sure you have friends, you will have to make it a priority to go out where other people will be, and you will have to start interacting with them. 

Make a point of starting a few conversations each day everywhere you go. Phone people up that you haven’t talked to in a while, and ask how they are doing.  Ask them if it would be all right for you to pop over for a visit.  Or make arrangements to meet them somewhere for coffee.

Check out all the social possibilities that might exist for seniors in your neighborhood.  There may be classes available that you can take, or volunteer jobs that you can do.  Churches often organize special activities for seniors.

Don’t feel that you have to restrict yourself to meeting people in your age group.  Sometimes close friendships can develop between people who are decades apart in age.

When you talk to others, make sure you are willing to listen and learn, as well as giving your opinion.  Some younger people are fascinated to hear old timers talk about the past, while others find it boring and are more attracted to seniors who live actively in the present.

Be willing to make many social approaches to others, no matter what the outcome.  Stay interested in the current world and stay optimistic.

You will only make new friends if you can show that you can be interesting and interested in others.

No matter what your current age may be, if you are concerned that you may be lonely in your later years, the time to start doing something about it is now.

Royane Real is the author of the popular book “Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends”   To improve your social life, download it today at  http://www.lulu.com/real

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