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Support Group Ideas for Senior Citizens

As people age, they confront a host of challenges. With health, living arrangements, family and end-of-life issues erupting in every direction, senior citizens need guidance and a sense that they are not alone. Support groups can ease such needs. National, state and local organizations, such as the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) help direct people in need to local senior resources. The growth of resources found on the Internet adds a new option for seniors comfortable with technology.

  1. Online Senior Communities

    • Computers add new meaning to "support."

      Each retiring generation in the new millennium seems to find it easier to use computer technology, giving seniors with less mobility access to a world of support at their fingertips. Online senior communities provide a support environment that crosses boundaries of city, state and country. AARP offers online communities for interests as varied as gardening, persons living with pacemakers, diet and exercise, and much more. Seniors can join one or more groups to keep interests vital and for a sense of belonging.

    Life Skills Support Groups

    • Senior citizens need to feel companionship and support.

      Communities all over the U.S. offer a range of support alternatives to senior citizens. Seniors might join a group in their area like the Mulberry Senior Citizens Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At Mulberry, older citizens participate in wellness and exercise programs, crafts, music and a weekly spiritual renewal group. Support groups are a public resource in most communities and usually do not charge any fees. These groups offer seniors companionship, guidance and a sense of community in a supportive environment.

    Living Alone

    • Home is where a senior citizen's heart is.

      A person's home is a symbol of independence, and some senior citizens want to retain their autonomy as long as possible. An example of a community program assisting independent senior living is "Aging in Place in Darien," a free program for seniors sponsored by The Community Fund of Darien, Connecticut. This effort combines resources including referral to regional and state services geared toward senior independent living. In communities where no independent living programs or directories are in place, senior citizen centers can offer weekly or bi-weekly meetings for still-independent seniors to share emotions and challenges.

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