Why Friendships Are Essential for Senior Well-Being

“There are three things that grow more precious with age: old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.” After all, there is a quiet comfort in rehashing moments spent together and guffawing at an unfortunate, albeit funny, incident that happened many moons ago with your friends. But that’s not all there is to friendships. Surrounding yourself with friends, old and new—and yes, we’ll talk about making new friends as well—can also be quite healing.

They Can Be Your Emotional Pillar of Support

Having a small group of friends can bring you comfort. You have a support system to rely on, especially when you find yourself in a challenging phase. Sometimes having friends who may be going through the same things can be oddly reassuring and validating. Talking about shared experiences can also help navigate challenges together and ease negative feelings.

If you visit Reddit’s r/AskWoman, you’ll see how users describe what friendship means to them. r/ImaginaryTourist7689, for instance, says, “My friends have helped me through everything. They’ve listened, supported, and laughed both with and at me, and it makes everything worth it. They make me confident to embrace all that I am, because I know they’ll still be there for me. Basically, friendship is knowing that they’re rooting for me, and doing all I can to reciprocate it.” Another r/jooniejoon3 talks about how anything becomes enjoyable with a good friend, even a basic trip to the supermarket. The importance and benefits of friendships and social connections or interactions cannot be overstated for your emotional and mental wellbeing.

They Are Your Very Own Stress Busters

Have you ever been so stressed about something that you feel sick to your stomach? Then, a friend shows up, cracks a lame joke, and makes you laugh and forget your worries for a short time. That’s exactly what friends are for—to make you laugh, sometimes at the most unexpected and inappropriate moments, and cheer you up. In fact, research suggests that spending quality time with friends (and family) can do wonders for your emotional wellness and help you cope with stress.

So, how do you know if you have got your personal, walking-talking stressbuster? Well, Quora user Shealagh King notes that if you smile often in their company, feel open to sharing past and present experiences with them, and can find comfort, irrespective of whether you engage in activity, conversation, or silence, you’ve got a friend indeed! Plus, you know that you’ve made the right friend if you can pick up the phone, rant about life for two hours straight, and be the most unhinged version of yourself.

They Can Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals

Multiple studies show that working out with a friend can be more motivating than working out with a friend. Your friend can provide the encouragement and support you need to achieve fitness goals, including eating more wholesome foods. Indulging in exercise routines, such as taking a 30-minute walk or signing up for a dance class, can make exercise seem less like a chore. If you want to make working out even more fun, you can download apps that track your steps and allow you to share your progress with friends.

If you are experiencing issues with mobility, you and your friend can consider enrolling in adaptive dance, adaptive yoga, Tai Chi, and seated aerobic classes. There’s always something that you can do to stay physically active.

They Boost Self Esteem

Having low self esteem or even generally feeling down in the dumps can sometimes affect the quality of your life. Sometimes, spending time with your loved ones or socializing with friends can help you feel better about things or gain confidence if you find yourself feeling insecure.

A lot of times you may not realize that you are in your head too much. Dwelling in your thoughts or failing to stop the negative self-talk loop can take a toll on you. Talking things out with your friends and seeking their help can be a great salve. They can give you positive feedback and validation and help you process what you are going through.

Making New Friends as an Adult

While making new friends as an adult can seem a bit disconcerting, there’s also a sense of unexpected freedom. You get to talk to someone who knows nothing about you. It also means you get to present the most current version of yourself to them—something old friendships may not always make space for. As comforting as it is to meet your old friends, you may also unknowingly find yourself getting pulled back into an older version of yourself, a version that may not truly reflect who you are right now. This may not be the case when you make new friends. You’ll also realize how open you are to trying out new things and experiences with new friends. You also open yourself up to new perspectives from people who have lived a vastly different life from yours.

So, if you’re looking for ways to make new friends and stay socially active, consider joining a club (book, hiking, or travel), enrolling in classes, or attending events. This is a great way to meet like-minded people. Another way to make friends is to figure out the person, celebrity, or political figure you both hate, and spend a good two hours discussing everything that’s wrong with them. Shared hatred or hate bonding as the kids call it may just be the way to make a friend for life.