When my dad was in university taking his pharmacy degree, he took an elective in art. I remember years later finding a folder with pencil and charcoal drawings from that time. Astounded, I discovered he had remarkable talent. Talent he never once pursued in all the years of building a business and raising a family. When he sold the pharmacy, he went to work for someone else for a time, but when he finally retired from that, he started going to an art class.
He loved it! A widower trying to redefine his life, those classes were an anchor to his week. He’d pack a lunch and spend the whole day there. I still have some of his paintings from that time. Although he enjoyed learning a new skill (he’d never painted with oils before) and enhancing his gifts, more than anything he enjoyed the camaraderie of the other artists.
Community. It has so much to give us.
Here are some ideas for connections:
A class of any kind
Painting, crafts, gardening, sewing, woodworking, learning a new language, cooking…the 
possibilities are endless. These days, online classes are also a possibility. Although they may not provided the same opportunity for connection, there is often the ability to interact.
I’m taking an online writing course at the moment, which is helping me improve my skills in plotting fiction. I’m able to interact with the 26 others in the course, learn as they interact with each other, and have input directly from the course teacher. It’s filling my connection cup.
A trip to the mall
Yesterday I watched a fun video on Tik Tok. Grandma said to her granddaughter that she didn’t feel pretty and wanted a new dress. The video was of Grandma trying on all kinds of dresses and her reactions (horror, laughter, liking, hating) and a final shot where Grandma, her daughter and her granddaughter all wore the same dress and laughed hilariously. I’m not sure if Grandma came away with a dress that day, but the memories would have been priceless.
A walking group
Grab a few friends and walk together once a week. I can assure you, any form of exercise is more successful when performed with a buddy to talk to along the way. If your elder is no longer able to walk, take them for a “walk” in their wheelchair. Fresh air and company is restorative.
Find a hobby
Try something new, or revisit a former love. Do you like to sing? Join a choir. Are you a model train enthusiast? There are groups all over who set up their track and train cars in malls and community centres on weekends for others to enjoy. Gardeners get together in community gardens, which is great for elders who no longer have a house. Join a book club and share your love of reading with others while exploring new genres.
Volunteer
Probably the best suggestion of all, this benefits both the giver and receiver. All kinds of organizations are looking for volunteers. I go once a week to my church and work with two other ladies to prepare all the materials for Sunday School the next week. The staff continually tells us how much we are appreciated, but it’s interesting, fun, gives me a sense of purpose, and I’ve met new people. Win-win.
Visit your local community centre
Check online for what is available for seniors. Most community centres have senior-specific 
programs during the day, and you’ll probably find several that interest you. Start small with one program. There’s no commitment, so if it’s not for you, you can go on to something else.
Start a new career
A voracious reader, I love to find an author who excites me, and when I do, I want to read everything they’ve written. I recently discovered an author I loved, and when I researched her, I discovered she’s 79! I’m not sure when she started writing, but her advancing age hasn’t stopped her. Is there a cottage industry you would love to start? Why not? Research it and connect with others in the same business. Places like Etsy are full of people doing the same.
“We are not meant to live in isolation. Not in nuclear families or bubbled existence. The richness of life is found in community, in cooperation, in becoming a part of a greater whole. Expand your bubble, drop your shield. Invite love in. Do not attempt to do it alone.”
―
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