Of all the components of healthy senior living, few are more important than social interaction. Having a group of like-minded individuals to spend time with has shown to have a positive impact on quality of life. For retirees, however, it can sometimes be difficult to form a social circle after leaving the workforce, but there are several tried-and-true methods to help seniors build their social network in their 60s, 70s and beyond.

Volunteer
Seniors often turn to volunteering to stay active during retirement, and there’s a good reason why. In addition to helping better the community, volunteering their time allows seniors to find a sense of purpose that can be hard to come by once they leave the workforce. Not only that, but it’s a great way to meet similarly charitable people. Volunteering can also help seniors boost their health. A 2005 study from the University of Michigan found that older adults who provided support to others had lower rates of mortality compared to those who did not.

Join a club
Of course, volunteering isn’t the only way for older adults to find peers with similar interests, joining a group or club is also an excellent option. For instance, avid readers may want to grow their social circle by joining a local book club, the University of Rochester Medical Center Recommends. Others who want to place an emphasis on exercising can join a local walking group.

Continue their education
It has become increasingly common for seniors to head back in the classroom once they retire, and there are ample reasons for them to do so. For starters, it gives them a perfect opportunity to stay mentally engaged and active during their golden years. Researchers say that active mental engagement, such as that offered by lifelong learning, is one of the best ways to maintain cognitive function later in life.

Additionally, returning to the classroom is tailor-made for seniors to build a social circle during retirement. Not only does it give them a chance to see the same faces on a regular basis, but since they are enrolled in the same class, it’s safe to assume that they have similar interests as their fellow classmates.