Moved to a new city after retirement? Here are tips on getting settled.

After retirement, many older adults choose to move to new cities, and in some cases, new states. The decision to move can be because of financial reasons, or the desire to start a second life somewhere else. Whatever the reason, there can be certain difficulties that come with moving to a new place as an older adult. With this in mind, here are a few tips that can help with adjusting to a new home specifically for older adults.  

Hobbies

One of the most important parts of a happy and healthy lifestyle is keeping active—not in the sense of exercising a lot (although that’s important too), but in the sense of going out and doing things you enjoy, like birdwatching, golf, going to the movies, knitting, gardening, etc.

Typically, the hobbies you should have in your new home are the same hobbies you’ve had all your life. Of course, there may be new hobbies that you can pick up in your new area, perhaps ones that weren’t feasible where you used to live. For example, if you moved from an urban to more suburban area, riding horses, taking hikes, or gardening is probably easier to do than where you used to live.

In short, do the things you’ve always liked, but keep an open mind for new hobbies that are more suited to your new environment. If you’re having trouble thinking of some specific hobbies, check out this list of hobbies for older adults, as well as ways to keep your mind sharp through lifelong learning. 

Making New Friends

Of course, no move is complete without people around you with whom you can spend time. Having friends and a support network around you is crucial for your mental health, and in some ways your physical health too. This doesn’t mean you have to forget about your old friends, but people who are geographically close to you often can support you and be there for you in ways that old friends can’t.

Making new friends later in life can be daunting, especially if you’re on the more reserved side. However, meeting new people is never impossible. You can find a volunteer organization, peruse Facebook to find interesting clubs near you, search for a local senior center, and more. For more information, check out more ways to find new friends as an older adult and how to combat social isolation as an older adult. 

Keeping In Touch With Family

Moving away as an older adult can seem all the more challenging because of the people you can’t bring with you: friends whom you’ve known for decades, your children and grandchildren, and the other conglomerate of neighbors and acquaintances that make up our everyday lives.

Moving away can put a strain on even the closest of relationships, but luckily there are steps both parties can take to ease the separation. There’s letters, phone calls, and video chats, social media, and numerous other ways to keep in touch.

For older adults, sometimes a particular challenge is being away from young grandchildren. Forging a bond with a young child can be difficult with so much physical distance, but it’s not impossible. For ideas on how to spend quality time with young grandchildren virtually, click here. 

Exploring the City

If you’ve moved away for financial reasons, adjusting to your new home can be hard because you may have had to choose your new home based on cheap real estate more than anything else. However, just because you don’t know much about your new city, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot to offer.

If you’re going to be living there for a long time, it only makes sense to find what you love about the new city. Take advantage of sites like Groupon and Yelp, which lets you find deals or reviews on great places local to you.

If you’re more spontaneous and less of a planner, go out and explore. Check out this article for tips on the best transportation options for seniors in cities, and remember to stay safe. 

Moving to somewhere new represents a whole new chapter in your life, and while that can be exciting, it can also be daunting. Hopefully, the advice here will help you get adjusted more quickly to your new adventure. 

— Avery Tamura