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65 Briarwood Circle Worcester, MA 01606

6 Ways to Improve Your Social Life in an Assisted Living Community

social life in assisted living community

Making the move to an assisted living community may seem daunting for many seniors. You’re moving to a new home and surrounding yourself with new people—which may mean you’re starting over socially. No one wants to feel alone, especially during your retirement years! So how can you improve your social life in an assisted living community?

Ways to Improve Social Live in an Assisted Living Community

Social activities do more than just make you feel less alone. Did you know that socially active seniors actually experience health benefits and are shown to be happier than those who aren’t social? With that in mind, here are some of our favorite ways to improve your social life in an assisted living community.

1. Share a Meal with a Friend

Everyone loves bonding over a great meal! Most, if not all, assisted living facilities provide meal services to residents. Be sure to pay regular visits to the dining room; invite family members or old friends to share meals with you—or better yet, pull up a chair with your fellow residents and introduce yourself! At Briarwood, our restaurant-style dining room is always stocked with delicious, healthy dining options. What could be better than good food and good company?

2. Join a Club (Or Two… Or Three!)

Moving into a senior living environment means joining a community of people your age, so at least a few of them are guaranteed to share some of your interests! Take the time to investigate: does your community offer clubs or other activities? Join them! Joining a club or committee is a great way to stay active and meet new people, all while doing something you love.

Briarwood residents may want to join the Ladies’ Book Club, the “Knitwits” knitting group, the Art Gallery Committee, or any number of other committees or clubs.

What if you can’t find a group that caters to your interests? Try something new! By joining any of the available groups, you may find that you truly enjoy something you’ve never done before. As another option, why not start your own group? You may find that your neighbors love the same things you do—or you may introduce someone to their new favorite hobby!

3. Find the Time to Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to put yourself out there. Try exploring your options for volunteering—there may be more than you think. Briarwood residents volunteer in a number of different ways, including:

  • Serving on the board for the Briarwood community
  • Managing the front desk at The Elms activity center
  • Attending Board of Trustees meetings
  • Working with local charities in the Worcester community

Volunteering might not be for everyone, particularly if you may have physical or mental difficulty with some of the work. However, there are plenty of volunteer positions that are not physically demanding, and if you’re able to volunteer, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to spend time with fellow volunteers. Not only that, you’ll have the chance to interact with all sorts of people in your community in a rewarding way.

4. Take an Exercise Class

Keep your social calendar full while keeping your body healthy! Try a fitness class such as yoga or tai chi. Not only will this keep your body moving, but it will also give you the chance to meet other residents and see them on a regular basis. Sharing a class with your fellow residents will keep your body healthy and your mind sharp. On top of that, it’ll give you plenty to talk about when class is over. You might find that you have a lot in common!

5. Go on a Field Trip!

A great way to meet (and spend time with) some of your fellow residents is to go on a group outing. Briarwood’s location in Worcester is near some of the best activities and attractions in the state. Whether you’re looking to attend concerts, restaurants, museums, or cultural attractions, Worcester has you covered, and Briarwood provides regular opportunities to spend some time out on the town.

Briarwood residents can look forward to trips to Tanglewood, monthly Lunch Bunch visits to local restaurants, and Newport Mansion tours—just to name a few. Stay up-to-date with Briarwood’s events calendar to find out what trips are coming up next. See something you’re interested in? Invite a few friends to come along and enjoy the experience with you!

6. Attend a Concert

While it’s great to get out once in a while, you don’t have to go far to enjoy great live events. Briarwood regularly hosts concerts and other events right on campus. This includes classical piano, opera, singalongs, and more. With the wide variety of concerts offered, you’re sure to find something you’ll love. Bonus: this is a great opportunity to experience live music with your friends, family, and fellow residents!

Beyond music, you may also want to attend art galleries or movie showings. All of these are offered on campus for our residents, so you’ll never run out of activities to enjoy right at home.

Come Dine with Us

At Briarwood, we understand that it’s important to feel like you belong in your retirement community. That’s why we strive to provide our residents with ample opportunities to socialize with their fellow residents and have fun! There’s something for everyone at Briarwood, and we hope to make you feel like you belong here, too.

Does Briarwood seem like the place for you? We know that one of the best ways to experience a community’s social atmosphere for yourself is to join in on a meal (in fact, it was tip number 1!). If you want to see what the social life at Briarwood is all about, why not join us for dinner?

Schedule a tour at Briarwood; you can see our facilities, meet our staff and residents, and enjoy a meal on us in our dining room. We hope that you’ll come to see Briarwood as a fun, engaging community—and we hope it’s a place that you can call home!

come to dinner

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