How to feel less lonely as you get older

[usonian]

https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-feel-less-lonely-as-work-and-family-quieten-down-later-in-life

Many older adults find themselves feeling more isolated than they did at earlier points in their lives. Often, grown-up children have moved elsewhere. One or more close family members or friends may have passed away. For many, retirement has ended the days of hustling off to a workplace full of colleagues.

Do you, too, feel a sense of being less connected than you were before? Perhaps you wake up some mornings wondering what to do with your day, feeling unmotivated to go out into the world. Or you find yourself tearfully looking at old photos and longing for days past. You may even feel forgotten by loved ones, or frustrated with them for not calling or visiting. If you can relate to these or similar experiences, you might be struggling with the very common experience of loneliness.

This Guide is intended to instil in older adults – particularly those who are in their 60s or older – the idea that, although loneliness may not be a welcome experience, it is something that you can cope with if you do experience it. To start, it’s useful to differentiate loneliness from the physical states of living alone or being alone, although they sometimes go together. Loneliness is a subjective experience, one that can be described as a form of suffering due to the sense that your social needs are not being met.

For older adults, experiences such as the loss of loved ones or the end of certain routines may contribute to the risk of loneliness. While estimates of its prevalence among older adults vary across the world, surveys suggest that up to about a third of older people in the United States are experiencing loneliness; those who are unpaid caregivers, have a low income, or identify as LGBTQ are at increased risk.

Well, that's cheerful.
Here's the cheat-sheet. (a single jpeg)

Cheerful point: I find myself looking tearfully at new photos. They're so damn good, and look forward to newer ones! See you in the photo group ... now and then.
Classical music helps a lot. In recent times, my sight-reading improved a lot (who says you can't learn as you get older?) and it's a kick to be able to attempt pieces I never thought I could earlier on.

CIAO!
Mazeltov!
Mabuhay!