So you are wondering how you can meet people after 60? You’ve come to the right place to find the answers! I love socializing! After some research, I learned that meeting people after 60 isn’t that different from when you are younger. You just need to make sure to go out there and know where to go.
However, for many of us, this was much easier when we were kids. You automatically met new people almost every day. Make sure to find that kid that still lives inside you. Forget about all the ‘what ifs..’ and just start connecting without worrying. It will surprise you how easy and fun it is to meet people. I love to make your life easier and be as helpful as possible. So, in this article, I’ll share with you 21 essential tips on how you can meet people after 60. Ready to learn more? Let’s help you meet new people!
1 Stay Active
Sometimes it can be challenging to meet new people, especially when you get older. When you are younger, it all seems to go natural. Some people find it more difficult than others to meet people all their life, but when you’re at a younger age, you simply getting in more different situations where you have the chance of meeting other people.
Go out there! A lot of retirees and people over 60 are spending too much time at home. It’s probably great fun together with your spouse and maybe some family members. But if you make sure to stay active, you’ll increase the moments you can meet other people.
A great way to meet be more active and meet other people is by using the platform Meetup.com. Meetup is a platform where you can join local communities or start one yourself!
2 Join A Seniors SportsClub
Another great way to stay active and meet people after 60 is by joining a seniors sports club. Did you know that staying active is one of the most important factors when it comes to healthy aging? According to the CDC, you must do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week and muscle strength training two times a week.
Use A Fitness App
What better way to do that than joining a seniors sports club? Because when you sport at a club, it’s easy to meet other people who love to workout as well.
Another great way to stay active and meet other people is by using the fitness app Aaptiv. It is the #1 app when it comes to fitness workouts. You can easily share the workouts with people you know, for example, people you’ve met in the local community center or on meetup.
What better way to do that than joining a seniors sports club? Because when you sport at a club, it’s easy to meet other people who love to workout as well.
Another great way to stay active and meet other people is by using the fitness app Aaptiv. It is the #1 app when it comes to fitness workouts. You can easily share the workouts with people you know, for example, people you’ve met in the local community center or on meetup.
For many seniors joining a fitness class is a great way to meet new people. Finding different exercise classes can be challenging because of your current level of fitness and maybe because you don’t know what you like to do. Here are a few examples of fitness classes that are popular among seniors;
Yoga
There are different types of Yoga you can do. Figuring out which type suits you the most by trying out different classes. Yoga can be low impact and a great way to stay both fit and flexible.
Gyms
Regular fitness is often known as a gym. Some people still think of only lifting weights when they’re talking about gyms. However, there are many much more possibilities today. You can easily follow senior programs with like-minded other seniors in a gym.
3 Sign Up For A Dating App
Using a dating app like Eharmony doesn’t have to mean that you’re looking to find new love. You can also use this app when you’re looking for companionship and just want to learn new, like-minded people with whom you can spend some time. Many seniors are using online dating sites to find new contacts and make new friends.
Eharmony is known as the leading dating site for seniors. They use a unique compatibility matching system, which separates them from other dating apps. Their system focuses on your wishes and helps you quickly find like-minded people who live close by. It’s probably the easiest way to get in contact with new people.
The dating scene among seniors is different, because it’s more about finding companionship. According to Eharmony, senior singles are want to date seniors in real life and really get to know each other. Exploring fun things to do together so they don’t have to spend their time alone.
4 Join A Local Community Center
One of the easiest places where you can meet people is at a community center. Depending on where you live, you’ll probably find several community centers nearby.
The easiest way to find a community center is to Google ‘Community Centre Near Me,’ and you’ll automatically see a map with the centers closest to your current location.
Local community centers are known to focus on creating social contact between people and improving activities. They often organize different activities throughout the week. You can quickly sign up for an activity if you find something you like. Most community centers offer activities like sports, cooking, puzzling, talking groups, and so on.
An easy way to find local communities of people with the same interest is by joining the community website Meetup.
5 Join A Gardening Club
Gardening is a perfect activity to stay active when you get older. Gardening has many benefits. The activity is good for your strength and physical condition. You’re outside, which has many health benefits, according to this article on Harvard Medical School. For example, if your outside, you’ll be happier, your vitamin D levels rise, and your concentration will improve.
Gardening is also known as a meditative activity. It helps you clear your mind and focus on the present moment. It’s a unique activity that is even more fun when you can share it with like-minded people. I think joining a gardening club is a great way to meet other people. Ask around or Google if there’s a gardening club close to where you live.
For example, I live nearby a beautiful city park that has a botanic garden as well. The people that are doing the maintenance of this garden are all seniors and volunteers. They have great fun together!
When you don’t have any experience with gardening, you’ll catch up soon enough when joining a gardening group. However, if you want to improve your skills before joining this group, I’ll recommend following the MasterClass of Ron Finley.
The MasterClass platform is an online video platform where you can learn skills and follow courses in all kinds of categories. Ron Finley is an LA-based fashion designer and known as the #1 urban gardener. His MasterClass helps you to improve your gardening skills in no time!
6 Find Your Passion
Many people that are 60+ are struggling with their passion. Often it’s because you worked for many years and didn’t have much time for the thing you really loved doing. So, now that you’re retired and have all the time in the world, it’s hard to figure out what you are passionate about. Don’t worry; it’s completely normal. A must-read is my article How To Find Your Passion In Retirement? You’ll find some helpful tips for finding your passion.
When it comes to passion, I always say Grow Old, Never Grow Up! Remember the times when you were still a kid? You probably had tons of things you were passionate about. So go back to your childhood, good chance you’ll find some things you still love doing!
If you find it difficult to find things you’re passionate about, a great tool is following different courses on the MasterClass platform. The platform offers over 100+ video courses from famous and successful people all over the world. You’ll find courses in all kinds of categories like cooking, sports, art, lifestyle, and so on. An Annual Membership for MasterClass is only 180 USD and gives you all access to the platform!
7 Know What You’re Looking For
When you know what to get out of a new contact, it’s getting a lot easier to meet new people. So, make sure to define what you’re looking for before you start meeting new people. Having a clear expectation will also avoid disappointment when new contacts turn out to be different. Maybe you’re looking for new friendships or just want to have a quick conversation with someone. Or you might look for a buddy to go to a sports club. Or when you’re single, you might even are looking to find love and companionship again.
It doesn’t really matter what you’re looking for as long as you determine what you expect when you start meeting new people.
8 Start With Your Existing Social Circle
Your social circle is decreasing when you’re getting older. However, there are probably enough people left with whom you can re-establish social contact. Searching for people in your existing social circle is perhaps the easiest way to meet new people after 60. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
Don’t expect the contact to be the same as it used to be. Picture this; you’re getting in touch again with a friend from college. During college, you had the greatest fun together doing all kinds of sports activities and going to parties and stuff. However, you didn’t talk to each other in, let’s say, 30 years. A lot has happened during that time in both your lives. So you simply can’t expect that this contact will be the same as it was. Of course, it’s great fun to take a trip down memory lane, but it’s even better to focus on the things that are going on in both of your lives right now. Focusing on the present moment will help to get to know each other again and sustain this new contact.
When you’re contacting someone you considered a friend in the past but didn’t talk to for a long time, don’t be surprised when this person doesn’t want to be in contact anymore. Both of your lives changed over the years. So, as I mentioned at the start of this article, your interests also changed. This person has its own reasons why they don’t want to be in contact. Instead of being surprised or upset, cherish the good times you had together, wish them all the best and go on with your search to meet new people. It’s better to meet people that have similar interests as you. You’ll get much more satisfied with those contacts.
9 Meet People From Different Ages
We’re often focused on connecting with new people of the same age, but I feel you’re limiting yourself if you only focus on meeting people around the same age.
I’m in my thirties, and some of my best connections are with people that are much older than me. We have the deepest connections and the same interests. It’s not only fun to meet people of different ages, but you can also learn from each other. Different generations, having a different view on life, and it’s always great to explore these new views and opinions to learn and develop yourself.
10 Meet People From Different Genders
As we focus on meeting people from different age categories, the same goes for people from another gender. You can easily become friends with someone from the opposite gender without having a love-relationship. I always try to have as many different connections as possible to keep learning and getting inspired by other people.
11 Start With Volunteering
Doing volunteer work is a very popular activity among seniors and retirees. When you join your local community center, good chance that you’ll also find different opportunities for volunteer work.
Volunteering is not only popular because it keeps you busy as a senior. Most people who are applying for a volunteer job genuinely want to make a difference. They want to be helpful for others and often within their community. As a volunteer, you meet tons of new people. So it is an excellent opportunity to meet new people after 60.
If you want to learn more about volunteering, I recommend reading my article Why Do Retirees Volunteer.
12 Join An ArtClub
Remember that I told you to figure out what you are passionate about? Maybe art is your passion! Being creative, painting, sketching, etcetera. Joining an art club is the perfect way for you to meet new people. You can combine the things your passionate about, and because you meet like-minded people, good chance that you’ll make some new friendships as well!
13 Contact Old Friends
It’s probably the easiest way to meet people after 60. Contacting your old friends. You can scroll through your Facebook friends list or your contact list on your smartphone and send some old friends a message. Ask them if they want to join you for a cup of coffee or maybe a walk in the park, or whatever you like doing.
Like we mentioned before, there is a chance that both your interests are different today. Contacting old friends can be a great way to meet people after 60, but it can also be disappointing when your interests don’t align anymore. But remember, it’s about having a great time, so if you end up in a situation where that old friend isn’t what you expect it would be. Cherish the great times you had together and move on.
14 Contact Family Members
There’s a good chance you have some family members you didn’t see for a while. So an easy way to meet other people is by contacting those family members. It can be great fun, and you might even end up organizing a family reunion!
When some of your family members live far away, you can easily combine a visit with a road trip or travel adventure. Get the best of both worlds, visiting family, meeting other people, and go on a travel adventure!
15 Go on A Seniors Group Travel Tour
Seniors and retirees just love to travel. Traveling is a great way to meet new people! It doesn’t matter how old you are. I travel the world all the time and love to meet new people when we are arriving at different destinations.
It’s so easy to get in contact when traveling because most travelers are more open-minded. Still, when you don’t want to travel alone, it’s a great way to join a senior travel group. This way you’ll know for sure that you’ll meet like-minded people.
Make sure to figure out which group fits your interests the most. For example, when you love to go on safari adventures, pick a travel group that organizes adventure trips. You’re more likely to meet people with the same interest this way.
16 Attend Local Events
If you want to meet new people that live around the same area as you, you want to visit a local event or events. Maybe you’re living in a rural area, and you can visit a traditional Sunday farmers market. Or maybe there’s a local music festival close to the town where you live.
It doesn’t matter what kind of event you visit, as long as you have, and it’s close to your house, it’s getting easier for you to visit new people that live nearby as well.
17 Visit Your Local Church
Visiting the local church is also an easy way to meet new people that often live nearby. Even when you’re not religious, visiting the church can help you meet people.
Often churches organize different community events throughout the week. They function as a community center. So it’s often possible that you can visit the church without visit a religious service if you don’t want to.
18 Go Back To College
Did you know that you can get a discount and sometimes even free access to college as a senior? You can find an extensive list of different colleges in the United States that offer classes for senior citizens here.
Going back to college is a great way to meet people after 60. When you attend a class, you’re more likely to meet other people with the same interests. It’s also a great chance to get (another) college degree!
19 Attend A Cooking Class
When you love cooking and want to meet new people, it’s a good idea to attend a cooking class. Attending a cooking class will help you improve your cooking skills and introduce you to like-minded people like yourself. Maybe you can share recipes and start your own cooking club with the people from the cooking class.
If you want to improve your skills before attending a class with other people, make sure to follow cooking classes on MasterClass.
20 Join A Retirement Community
If you want to meet people that are around the same age, you can join a retirement community close to your home. Some retirees even decide to move into a retirement community because they prefer the assisted living options that come with it. However, for most retirement communities, it is also possible to join when you’re not a resident.
Retirement communities often organize different activities throughout the week for which you can sign up. Activities vary from sport, talking groups, walks, playing games, cooking, and so on. Finding a retirement community is easy. You can just google ‘Retirement Community Nearby,’ and the Google Search result will show you the closest retirement communities.
I would recommend visiting a community first before you sign up. This way, you can discover if you like that specific community and if you connect with the people within the community.
21 Join A Book Club
Many seniors love to read books. Discussing the content of a book with some friends and like-minded people is a great thing to do. Joining a book club can be a perfect way to get to know other people and thus meet people when you’re older.