Making new friends while in Assisted Living

1
Making new friends while in assisted living
2

• A fear many residents experience before moving
  into an assisted living community is that they
  will be lonely, but this is simply not true! When
  you live in assisted living, staying connected
  with others is essential. All of AHEPA Senior
  Livings Hellenic Senior Living affordable
  assisted living lifestyle communities host many
  group activities and opportunities to learn new
  things, see new places, and meet new people. In
  fact, after moving into an assisted living
  community, many residents find new friends with
  similar interests. If youre thinking about
  moving into one of our communities, but think you
  wont have any friends, this post is for you
  keep reading!
• Planned events
• Events are a great way to make new friends. At
  Hellenic Senior Living communities, we have
  events that residents can attend.

3

• Check out our busy Community Calendar at Hellenic
  Senior Living of New Albany! By attending these
  events, residents can make new friends and have
  fun! We regularly host off-site outings which can
  be an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded
  individuals in your community.
• Not everyone is outgoing, and thats okay! We
  also host community activities in which learning
  is the main objective. There are so many
  activities you can take part in to ease yourself
  into getting to know others. For example, we host
  bingo nights, crafting classes, book clubs, and
  so much more. The recent holiday season, members
  of the Hellenic Senior Living of Indianapolis
  community got together to decorate stockings,
  listen to Christmas music, and play Christmas
  Bingoand even holiday shopped thanks to
  paparazzi jewelry and craft vendors!
• Common areas
• Its essential to leave your room, even if its
  just for a few minutes.

4

• You might not think it, but leaving your room can
  help you meet new people. By walking around and
  meeting people in common areas, you can easily
  strike up a conversation about what theyre
  currently doing, any hobbies you might have in
  common, places youve traveled, or anything else
  you can think of. Youll find that others in your
  community have similar interests and just want to
  make friends! Frequenting the common areas will
  likely result in meeting other residents in a
  less formal setting.
• One-on-one activities
• Everyone is nervous about asking someone to do
  something one-on-one. What if the other person
  says, no? Well, it doesnt have to be a daunting
  task. Start small ask if the other person would
  like to join a community activity with you. Maybe
  you know they love a dish youve got a great
  recipe for ask if they would let you make it
  for them.

5

• If you still want to ease into it, invite friends
  outside of the assisted living community over for
  dinner parties or other gatherings so that they
  can meet new people who live in your new
  community! Other ideas can include attending a
  movie together, going out for food, or even
  hosting small group gatherings at your home.
• Keep an open mind
• Be friendly and keep an open mind when meeting
  new people. If youre new to an assisted living
  community, its easy to feel like you dont know
  anyone there you might not, but neither did
  anyone else when they first got there. But if you
  try your best to make friends with others in your
  community, your circle will eventually grow and
  expand beyond just the people directly adjacent
  to your room!

6

• Youve heard the phrase, dont judge a book by
  its cover. This holds especially true because
  you dont know what others are going through. It
  is crucial to keep an open mind when trying to
  connect with others. Once you get to know the
  individual, you may find that your initial
  thoughts were off, and they were just having a
  bad day.
• Stay connected!
• Its important for seniors living in assisted
  living communities to stay connected with others.
  By staying open to making new friends and
  following the above advice, residents will scoff
  at the idea that its lonely in the community. At
  our Hellenic Senior Living communities theres
  always something new to try and someone new to
  meet!

7
Get in touch with us
Hellenic Senior Living of Indianapolis
Hellenic Senior Living of Elkhart
Hellenic Senior Living of New Albany
Hellenic Senior Living of Mishawaka