Friendship is a relationship that is built on trust and common interests. A good friendship can be a source of joy but also requires effort and time to maintain. As you age, friendships may change or become more challenging. However, it’s important to remember that friendships can also be one of the best parts of senior housing in Austin, TX! Here are some tips for maintaining your friendships as an older adult:
Listen To Others
Listening is an active process that requires more than just hearing the words. To truly listen to others, you must also be aware of their body language and tone of voice. Pay attention to how they move their hands when they speak or what kind of facial expressions they make as they talk.
These nonverbal cues can reveal much about what a person means, even if their words don’t seem entirely accurate or honest. You must be able to pick up on these signs so that you know when someone is lying to you; otherwise, your friendship will suffer as a result!
Allow Your Friend The Freedom To Make Their Own Choices
Friendships are built on mutual respect and trust. If you want your friendship to last, it is important to allow your friend the freedom to make their own decisions and choices. You should respect their options, even if they disagree with yours. If they choose something that makes you uncomfortable or unhappy, try to understand why they made that choice instead of trying to force them into changing their mind.
If at any time during your friendship, one person is pressuring another into doing something they don’t want to do (e.g., doing things for them), then this could be a sign that there isn’t true friendship between those two people anymore!
Think About The Other Person, Not Yourself
As we age in senior housing in Austin, TX, it can be easy to focus on our own needs and interests. When you start to notice that happening, it’s important to take a step back and think about what the other person is feeling and how they are doing. What might they need from you? How can you support them? As people grow older, they often feel like they’ve lost control of their lives or have less influence on others around them. They may have a different amount of money than before or be able to work as much as they previously did. This can make them feel lonely or isolated at times. It’s important for friends and family members who live nearby senior housing communities to help maintain friendships with one another so that these feelings don’t become overwhelming over time.
Be Honest About How Others’ Behaviors Affect You
This means being open and talking about how you feel, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions with your friend. It also means being honest about what you need from your friend.
If honesty feels uncomfortable at first, start by sharing a positive comment or observation with your friend that shows how much they mean to you: “I really enjoy having lunch together every day!” Then move on to share more personal information, such as how much pleasure that day’s lunch gave them or what made this week’s lunches especially lovely (or not).
Learn Something New Together
One of the best ways to keep a friendship going is to learn something new together. Whether taking a class, going on a walk around town and exploring new places, trying out different restaurants, or visiting museums, art galleries, or concerts together—many opportunities for learning can help maintain your bond with friends.
The key here is keeping it simple! There are so many great things about being retired that you don’t want to let friendships fall by the wayside just because your schedule suddenly has more breathing room. Remember, friendships matter!
