Finding New Friendships By Carrie Vittitoe
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Friendships are important, even as we age, to keep our minds strong and happy.
hen you think about the friendships you developed in the course of your life, where did they begin? Maybe they started in childhood during recess at school or, perhaps, in the lunchroom. Other friendships develop through work relationships. No matter your age, whether you’re 9 or 69, friendships can be tricky to create and maintain. However, the older a person gets, the harder it may be to develop relationships because of a lack of opportunities or age-related issues. If you’re an older adult who wants to increase your socialization and develop friendships, there are steps you can take to help make this an achievable goal.
The Challenges Becky Peak, senior companion coordinator at Elderserve, says aging itself can impact an individual’s ability to develop or maintain friendships, especially for people who fall into the “older-older adult” category (age 71 and above). “For instance, when you’re 65, you may not have hearing or vision impairment, but by the time you’re a little bit older, PAGE 18>>
16 Summer 2020 / TodaysTransitionsNow.com