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Friendships

For most of our lives, our social relationships are accidental. Then, in our 60s, we find ourselves wondering how to make friends as an adult. This is not a trivial question. Having strong social ties is good for our health and happiness. Let's explore this topic together.

1 year ago

When Is Letting a Friendship Go the Right Thing to Do?

I was the friend that my close, long-time friend, let go. Fran and I met when our boys were preschool age, and in the same T-ball team. Years of meeting up for walks, coffee, and fun had come and gone. Even our husbands got along and enjoyed each other’s company…

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1 year ago

How Often Do You Go Out and Play with Your Friends?

“Go outside and play with your friends!” That was Mom’s clarion call to us kids back then when friendship was easier. When we were naive, tolerant, open to diversity, and had few boundaries. We were perfect friend-making machines…

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1 year ago

4 Creative Ways to Say “No” When People Make Requests for Your Time

Have you received more requests lately because you have retired, or work from home? People often think that since you are not going in to a 9 to 5 job, you are available to meet their needs. Have you been asked to make grocery and doctor trips…

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1 year ago

7 Ways to Foster Honest Conversation in Troubling Times

We’re programmed to face chin up and cheerful into whatever life brings. The etiquette of our upbringing in the 50s and 60s warned that people don’t want to hear our problems, only to exchange pleasantries and move along…

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1 year ago

Do We Have Mature Relationships with Others?

Our relationships with others can make life a delight. If our lives are full of family and friends with whom we have a loving and fulfilling relationship, we have a treasure beyond price. When we’re sad, they can help us lift our spirits…

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1 year ago

Making Friends on Foreign Shores Is an Adventure

Developing friendships on foreign shores is an acid test of fortitude. Each time zone crossed takes you further into unchartered territory. Different languages. Tweaked cultural and social mores. You’ve transplanted yourself into a world…

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1 year ago

The Importance of Having Millennials and Gen X’ers in Your Life After 60

Many of us have at least one younger person in our lives. Whether this is a friend or a relative, here are 5 reasons why you should hang with younger people…

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1 year ago

Different Kinds of Friends and What They Mean to Us

Almost everybody has friends. It is part of life to have them. Some of us have loads and some have very few, but we all feel that they are important in our lives. And we all know who our friends are. They are people who are not our family…

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1 year ago

When Friends Disappoint You – What Can You Do?

Friends can bring joy in life. Trust and mutual respect between people bolster everything in life. Finding a friend that you can turn to in good times and in bad is precious and valuable. Unfortunately, this sweet relationship can sour over time…

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1 year ago

Finding Friends After 60: Can We Make It Easier?

As I brushed my hair and applied mascara, the banter of the morning talk show hosts played in the background. When the women – and men – on television casually mentioned how difficult it is to make new friends…

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