America is facing what some researchers call a “friendship recession”—a decline in the number and depth of personal friendships. While this trend cuts across all age groups, it has particular significance for people over 60. In later life, social connections can be as vital to health as exercise or a balanced diet. Yet maintaining friendships—and forming new ones—often becomes more challenging with age.
Friendships naturally evolve over a lifetime. In our 20s and 30s, workplaces, parenting groups, and neighborhood activities offer constant opportunities to meet new people. By retirement, many of those built-in networks fade away.
Older adults may lose friends to relocation, illness, or death. Others find that the routines that once connected them to others—daily commutes, office chatter, kids’ school events—are gone. A 68-year-old retired nurse summed it up simply: “When I stopped working, my phone stopped ringing.”
Loneliness and social isolation aren’t simply emotional concerns; they’re medical ones. Studies show that chronic loneliness can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, cognitive decline, and even early death. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy compared the health risks of isolation to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
For people over 60, friendships provide more than companionship—they help preserve independence. Friends can offer rides, share advice, provide encouragement for healthy habits, and step in during emergencies.
Forming new friendships later in life can be surprisingly difficult. Some older adults face mobility challenges or lack transportation, making it harder to attend social events. Others may feel self-conscious about joining unfamiliar groups or worry about being the new person among established circles.
Technology can be both a bridge and a barrier. Social media, video calls, and messaging apps can help maintain long-distance friendships, but they may not replace the warmth of face-to-face connection. And for those less comfortable with digital tools, online platforms can feel intimidating.
Major life changes—retirement, downsizing, loss of a spouse—can disrupt social networks. For widowed or divorced older adults, the loss is often twofold: the partner and the couple’s shared social life. Without intentional effort, it’s easy for days to pass without meaningful interaction.
While the decline in friendships is real, it’s not irreversible. Experts recommend a proactive approach:
- Join Interest-Based Groups – Community centers, libraries, and local clubs often host hobby groups, book clubs, or fitness classes tailored to older adults.
- Volunteer – Giving your time not only benefits the community but also creates opportunities to meet like-minded people. SeniorCare’s Volunteers of the North Shore places hundreds of volunteers each year in a variety of positions. Call 978-281-1750 to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
- Rekindle Old Connections – A phone call, email, or handwritten note can reopen a friendship that’s gone quiet.
- Use Technology Wisely – Video chats and group text threads can supplement, not replace, in-person visits.
- Schedule Social Time – Treat friendships like important appointments. Regularity matters.
The friendship recession among older adults isn’t just a personal issue—it’s a community one. Town planners, senior service agencies, and policymakers can help by creating more age-friendly spaces, transportation options, and intergenerational programs.
Social connection should be seen as a public health priority, not just a personal hobby. When older adults have strong friendships, entire communities benefit through shared knowledge, mutual support, and civic engagement.
Friendships don’t maintain themselves; they require time, energy, and sometimes courage—especially after 60. In a world that seems increasingly busy and distracted, the friendship recession is a quiet crisis. But with awareness and intentional action, older adults can push back against the trend and keep their social lives vibrant.
In the end, the best investment we can make in our later years isn’t just in savings or healthcare—it’s in the people who will walk beside us through the journey.