Having a community for your parent to connect with and develop friendships can be an enriching part of his life. It’ll chase away those blues when they hit and keep him from feeling lonely when you are not able to visit or stop by.
Luckily, if your parent is up for new ways to reach out and find new friendships, there are lots of ways to connect and build community.
Find friends online
Social media can be both a curse and a blessing. Helping your parent navigate social media so he can stay more connected with old friends or family that lives far away can give him a sense of connectedness. Helping him create a private Facebook or Instagram account where he can see photos and share ideas with trusted people in his life may be one way for him to develop even deeper relationships with those, he can’t physically spend time with.
Find friends through hobbies
If there is a hobby or passion your parent has, help him find clubs and organizations that support that passion. If he is an avid hiker, either you or his senior care provider can help him find hiking clubs and bring him to community hikes. The community will provide a sense of safety (no hiking alone) along with like-minded individuals who share his same passion, making friendships easier to form. If your parent likes creating art through painting or sculpting, look into community ed classes or your local arts district for classes he can join. Depending on where you live and the time of year, they may be in person or online, but either way, he’ll find more people he can connect with.
Find friends through neighbors
Even if your parent has lived in his neighborhood for years, he might not know all of the neighbors around him. Encourage him to go for walks around the neighborhood and strike up conversations with those outside. If mobility is an issue, a senior care provider can walk alongside him or even push him in a wheelchair if needed. A simple friendly hello and smile can help him start making connections with those within walking distance of his home.
Find friends in faith
If your parent attends a faith-based service weekly, encourage him to see what activities that organization may have for seniors. A lot of churches and other faith-based communities have groups that specifically reach out and support the elderly in their community. Whether your parent decides to serve alongside them, socialize with them or be a recipient of their service, he’ll create new acquaintances that can become lifelong friends.
Find friends through volunteering
Help your parent connect with organizations that serve those areas in the community that he is passionate about. He can serve by being an adoptive grandparent at a school or by working at the local animal shelter. Your senior care provider might be able to help by providing rides to places he wants to serve at during the day.
All different stages in life requires people to seek out new connections that fit into their current life stage. With a little help from you and your home care provider, you should be able to help your parent find some new connections.
If you or an aging loved one needs Senior Care in Sacramento, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
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