Having a close circle of trusted friends makes life more enjoyable at every age. Knowing you have people you can count on through all of life's ups and downs gives us all peace of mind. As we age, those relationships impact our mental and physical well-being even more. My wife, Rosey, and I are very fortunate to have that circle of friends in our lives and it gives us a great deal of peace. I was doing a little digging about the power of friendship and I found a few interesting facts.
Friendship Lessons Learned in the Blue Zone
I wrote a few years ago in this column about the Blue Zone. I had learned that they are the regions of the world where people live the longest. Who knew? In these areas, you will find people who make family time and friendships a priority. This helps to mitigate the risks associated with senior isolation: depression, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and more. research shows that isolated older adults are at high risk for early mortality.
Blue Zone researchers say that your social network during retirement also plays a role in how healthy your lifestyle is—or isn't. Having a close friend who smokes puts you at increased risk for being a smoker. The same is true for obesity. If one of your close friends is obese, you are 57 percent more likely to develop obesity, too.
Making New Friends During Retirement Years
Retirement often brings changes to a senior's social network. You might drift away from work friends as you leave your career and place of
employment behind and have less in common. Another change seniors frequently encounter is that close friends and longtime neighbors relocate to be closer to their adult children and grandchildren. It can all add up to a senior feeling lonely and isolated.
Here are a few ideas for expanding your social network during your senior years:
Volunteer: Signing up for a volunteer project gives you an opportunity to connect with people of all ages. Intergenerational friendships can result from volunteering your time with a youth-related cause. Research shows that seniors who spend time with children feel younger and more joyful. We have so many opportunities to interact with our local schools through the Life Enrichment department and Care Corps and many of you tell me again and again how purposeful that has become in your life.
Learn: Mastering a new hobby or skill helps protect your cognitive health. If you accomplish that by taking a class, you can also enjoy the added benefit of meeting new people. Think about those things you've always been interested in exploring but never had time to do when you were working or raising a family. Learning a musical instrument, taking a painting or drawing class, or studying a foreign language are a few examples. The resident-run Life Long Learning Institute is another excellent opportunity to contribute to your general state of well being!
Nurture: It isn't uncommon for seniors to find themselves becoming more interested in spiritual activities. Becoming more active in church or synagogue or simply become more involved in the religious organization you already belong to. This can help you nurture your spirit while also building friendships with people who share your beliefs.
physical activity: Participating more in fitness such as offered on campus and taking advantage of the many activities and events coordinated by the Life Enrichment department can be huge! For example, taking Mike's aquatic class for seniors can help manage the pain of arthritis while giving you an opportunity to meet new people. Tai chi, chair yoga and walking groups are others to explore.
As we begin to welcome more than fifty new campus residents as the patio homes move ins occur over the next few months, I encourage you to extend that special Beatitudes welcome to help them discover these treasures of the campus and the blessing of friendship with some of the greatest people I know!
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