Making friends at 50+?

[BeKookyExpert]

I have not a single friend. I don’t mean one of those situations where it’s “oh I only have a couple of people I can call up for a coffee”. None. Nobody. I’ve moved around a bit, although those years are behind me now (currently in the East Midlands) but it did make it harder to keep friends and I’d say for about 10 years I’ve had none.

I’ve tried book clubs and social groups, but although they cheerily say “all ages welcome” in reality it’s all 20 and 30 somethings.

I kind of saw myself as having a group of mad old menopausal women to hang out with at this stage in my life. Lovely as he is, all I have is DH.

Are you looking for RL friends? I don't have, due to living in a very remote part of Portugal, but I have found my 'tribe' – a small online community who meet up every Sunday morning on Zoom and arrange regular in person lunches and holidays. We range from mid 50's to early 80's!!

could you join a gym and attend a class or two? Zumba perhaps? Or a strength or yoga class maybe?

Or a walking group? There’s one near me which tends to be people in their 50s and 60s?

I also need more friends. Mine have all moved away. Maybe choir or walking?
I do have 3 mad menopausal friends from uni, but all are miles away.

I could have written this op! I'm over 50 and it's just me and DH left. Any old friends I had disappeared with the advent of Facebook..Now it's only ever communication on there and never irl. I often wonder what the f**k has happened to my life?!

DH has become very antisocial. He has no friends either but he's ok with meeting a friend once or twice a year.

Oh this is me. I have one or two older friends here but I'm from somewhere else, having emigrated years ago. There were other friends along the way who themselves left this city or even emigrated abroad. I've a lot of friends from Uni but they all live in my home country. Between kids and work, I just don't seem to socialise.

I’ve made more friends in my 50s than any other time. Have you tried meet up, walking groups, craft groups, WI & Inner Wheel some do have younger members, Game groups, evening classes, doing a sport, walking football, badminton, table tennis, dancing classes. It is hard, taken me many years of turning up and getting to know people.

i like to do a activity, rather then at the pub or eating out.

I've got into football in my 50s. Hated it when I was younger! So walking football might be an idea. It's just that I don't think they do it anywhere I could get to. Normal women's football is a thing though but they're all young.

You might find Women’s Institute groups the answer, middle aged to older women usually, if you have different groups nearby you can visit them to see which one you might like. Bigger ones will have loads of sub groups (walking, books, arts and crafts, games, gardening, sports, cooking) as well as the monthly meeting. Can be an instant friendship group with potential to bond with some like minded individuals

Join your local parkrun. You can walk, running is not needed and also volunteer. Lots of lovely people to chat too

I know someone that does litter picking and walking groups. Met a lot of people. Is mainly in the day though but led to other Social things.

I’m 52 & met most of my friends over the past few years through women’s rights campaigning & volunteering at my local cat rescue.