March 14, 2023
Making new friends while in Assisted Living
A fear many residents experience before moving into an assisted living community is that they will be lonely, but this is simply not true! When you live in assisted living, staying connected with others is essential. All of AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living affordable assisted living lifestyle communities host many group activities and opportunities to learn new things, see new places, and meet new people. In fact, after moving into an assisted living community, many residents find new friends with similar interests. If you’re thinking about moving into one of our communities, but think you won’t have any friends, this post is for you – keep reading!
Planned Events
Events are a great way to make new friends. At Hellenic Senior Living communities, we have events that residents can attend. Check out our busy Community Calendar at Hellenic Senior Living of New Albany! By attending these events, residents can make new friends and have fun! We regularly host off-site outings which can be an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded individuals in your community.
Not everyone is outgoing, and that’s okay! We also host community activities in which learning is the main objective. There are so many activities you can take part in to ease yourself into getting to know others. For example, we host bingo nights, crafting classes, book clubs, and so much more. The recent holiday season, members of the Hellenic Senior Living of Indianapolis community got together to decorate stockings, listen to Christmas music, and play Christmas Bingo—and even holiday shopped thanks to paparazzi jewelry and craft vendors!
Common Areas
It’s essential to leave your room, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You might not think it, but leaving your room can help you meet new people. By walking around and meeting people in common areas, you can easily strike up a conversation about what they’re currently doing, any hobbies you might have in common, places you’ve traveled, or anything else you can think of. You’ll find that others in your community have similar interests and just want to make friends! Frequenting the common areas will likely result in meeting other residents in a less formal setting.
One-on-One Activities
Everyone is nervous about asking someone to do something one-on-one. What if the other person says, no? Well, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start small – ask if the other person would like to join a community activity with you. Maybe you know they love a dish you’ve got a great recipe for – ask if they would let you make it for them.
If you still want to ease into it, invite friends outside of the assisted living community over for dinner parties or other gatherings so that they can meet new people who live in your new community! Other ideas can include attending a movie together, going out for food, or even hosting small group gatherings at your home.
Keep an Open Mind
Be friendly and keep an open mind when meeting new people. If you’re new to an assisted living community, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know anyone there – you might not, but neither did anyone else when they first got there. But if you try your best to make friends with others in your community, your circle will eventually grow and expand beyond just the people directly adjacent to your room!
You’ve heard the phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This holds especially true because you don’t know what others are going through. It is crucial to keep an open mind when trying to connect with others. Once you get to know the individual, you may find that your initial thoughts were off, and they were just having a bad day.
Stay Connected!
It’s important for seniors living in assisted living communities to stay connected with others. By staying open to making new friends and following the above advice, residents will scoff at the idea that its lonely in the community. At our Hellenic Senior Living communities there’s always something new to try and someone new to meet!