FINDING NEW FRIENDSHIPS IN LATER LIFE

Recently I have had cause to consider how difficult it can be to find new friends as we get older.  Meeting  people isn't easy at any time even the most confident of us can be a bit unnerved when coming up against a few different faces. When we move areas or change jobs we have to contend with  learning something new but also dealing with the many and varied aspects of the human Psyche. As we say in North of England 'there is nought funnier than folk'.
For those of us who retire to a new vicinity then we are not only moving house, lifestyle and routine we are also making a massive change by leaving behind the camaraderie of the workplace and the friendly neighbours next door. I remember with fondness the support and closeness of my neighbours at difficult times in my life.
When we moved to North Wales I hadn't a clue about the area and used a Sat Nav just to get me to Asda, meeting people wasn't the highest thing on my list but it soon became a priority. You can't find friends with a Sat Nav. But you can with the internet.

You may imagine that you will be able to continue the contacts you had and of course that for some is true especially whilst busying oneself with the move. However that is not the same as being able to pop down the road for a cuppa with someone who knows you well. As time passes in your retirement or your new situation when you are ready to  seek out new activities and hobbies and where do you start? This is where the internet is often a Godsend and a great place to start. However is it possible to develop life time frienships as we get older? Can we start again to make friends like we did when we were working? Where do we start and is it possible to gain that level of closeness in older age that one had in the work place or when the children where young? What do you think?

We are looking to develop a friendship group on Gransnet.com where you can chat on line before venturing forward to meetups within your own area. So if you are looking for friends or you are recently moved into the area, retired or otherwise then our friendship group might suit you. This is a brand new group where everyone is in the same boat and we will be setting off on a journey of discovery together.
Watch the gransnet page http://local.gransnet.com/conwy for more details and Gransnet Conwy face book page you will need to let me know by writing on the Conwy forum.
Our first get together will be on July 17th at 2-30pm venue to be disclosed soon. Remember this group is brand new and we are all starting from the same place. One thing we have in common is we are all over 50. A great place to start!