Intergenerational Friendships

Research from the AARP found that 93% of people with a close intergenerational friend agree that the age difference can provide a value that you just don’t get with a friend your own age. The same research found that adults with a close younger friend tend to believe that their friend is more likely than friends their own age to help them see another perspective, give them a greater appreciation for their experiences, and allow them to voice their opinions and insights.

            Intergenerational friendships can even help to fight ageism, give older adults a more positive attitude about aging, and especially play a role in combating the epidemic of the loneliness problem that many older adults are struggling with. Loneliness and social isolation has been found by research to increase your risk of premature death by as much as 30%, which is roughly equivalent to the effects of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

            While the benefits of making new friends are clear, it’s another matter entirely to actually go ahead and make those connections. Surveys and research have shown that approximately one in three seniors in the United States haven’t made a new friend in at least five years. The same surveys have found that the workplace is the most common place where Americans make new friends.

            Shared interests are a great starting point for conversations and forming connections with people who aren’t your age. Book clubs, fitness classes, garden clubs, art classes, or any other place that welcomes people of all ages are great ways to meet new people.