Friendship

Friends.  A friend is defined as a person whom you know, like and trust. You and a friend help each other in good times and in bad times. You share stories and experiences.  

Most of us have had a friend.  You may have traveled together, gone out to dinner, shared stories of your family.  It could be you’ve had many good friends or just one or two.  The quantity doesn’t really matter.  It’s the quality of the friendship that counts.

It turns out that friendship is good for your health. A friend can enrich your life.  It’s a social connection for you.  Basically, keeping friendships is really important to us as we age.  

Not only does a friend help give us a sense of purpose and belonging but consequently they also keep us happy.  A friend gives you a sense of worth and helps when you are going through a stressful event in your life.

A friend can help with your overall health and you can feel less depressed. You can lower your blood pressure.  You may even find that you live longer!

As we get older, making new friends can feel daunting but there are ways to help.

Is there an event in your community that you can attend?  Do you have a hobby that you can share?

Do you like to volunteer?  Try a place you enjoy, a hospital, a food bank, a library.  

Invite someone over to your house, apartment, living space.  Then if you get a return invitation, accept it. You never know what can blossom.

Join a class or a faith community.  Conversations can start and common interests can be discovered.

Take a walk.  Walk your dog and chat with people you meet. Walk to a spot and sit and watch people walking by.  You might be able to strike up a conversation.

Private Home Health Care knows how important friends are to your well being.  We encourage you to stay in touch with existing friends and try and make new ones. You are never too old!