Friends at 50+ CategoriesTo Your Health & Sanity

Friends at 50+

Having friends to do and share things with is an important factor for healthy living at 50+.  According to an article in helpguide.org, “How to Make Friends”, good friendships improve all aspects of your life.  It is so important to have friends as we get older so we can feel energized and cared about.  Many times we get so caught up in life with work and family, we forget to continually nurture our friendships.  When life changes and we find ourselves alone and isolated, that is the time that we need to reach out to our friends.

Friends Camille LaCognata & Rita McCulloch
Friends Camille LaCognata & Rita McCulloch

As we get older, it is sometimes a challenge to maintain our old friends as well as make new ones.  Friends make our lives richer and more exciting.  It gives us something to look forward to when we wake up and gives us companionship in doing things we love to do.

So, how to make new friends?  Joining a club that interests you or volunteering in some capacity will allow you to meet people that share your interests.   Church groups are also a great way to meet people. Finding a community you can feel comfortable in will make a huge difference!

Friends Marie Giammarco & Cherie Blazer
Friends Marie Giammarco & Cherie Blazer

At the local YMCA where I work, there is a group of active adults that I have become friends with. These individuals are in their early to mid-80s.  They are for the most part healthy and very active.  They work out together at the gym, they are part of a walking group when they aren’t going to the gym, and they go out to eat a lot!  They live with their adult children because most of them are widowed.  They have active lifestyles and are a lot of fun to hang out with.  They have found friendship through their local neighborhood and the YMCA. These individuals are an inspiration to me!  They care for one another and they are always there for each other. After I teach my water classes, I always look forward to hanging out in the lobby with them having a cup of coffee and just chatting.  They are amazing!

Another group of members that participates in my water aerobics classes have become friends as a result of their membership at the Y.  They also hang out together after classes in the Y lobby having great conversation.  Many of these individuals did not know each other until they joined the Y. They feel better physically and their lives have become more fun and active.  Many times I have heard from any one of them at how grateful they are that they found the Y and have met so many great people!

This is my experience with the Y but I am sure that there are many other possibilities to meet new friends.  Wherever you decide to go, be open to the possibility, and engage in small talk!  Having friends will make a difference in your life and give you things to look forward to.  It is a fact that having an active lifestyle will improve your life!

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Marie Giammarco is a mid generation Boomer who came of age in suburban New York, 50 miles north of the city. A child whose mom and grandparents were Italian immigrants, her close knit family defined her growing up years. The product of an environment that revolved around food, health, and physical activity, she saw many elderly people age before their time because they lacked these things. She has a passion to help Boomers and Seniors to be active and live a longer, more healthy life.