Ahead of National Best Friend Day on June 8th, two best friends, Maggie Loxton, aged 75, and Linda Cook, aged 67, from Sunnyview House Bupa Care Home in Leeds have shared their top tips for finding friendship in adulthood.
Having met at Sunnyview House when Linda became a resident this year, the pair soon became good friends, with Home Manager, Frances Fisher, commenting “Maggie and Linda have become best friends so quickly, and have proved that making new friends can happen at any age!”
Linda and Maggie were first introduced when Sunnyview Home Manager Fran Fisher realised they had similar interests and decided to sit them together in the day room. Katy Jordan the clinical deputy commented: “When we sat them together, little did we know how much they would hit it off. They both giggled for hours, and it was so heart-warming to see. It’s been wonderful to see their friendship blossom.”
Maggie and Linda, who describe themselves as “young, free and single”, shared their top tips on finding new friends as an adult:
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
Linda, who worked as a secretary for most of her life and is well accustomed to speaking to new people regularly, commented: “Going out on a limb and embarking on finding new friends can be scary but there’s always someone who will accept you and make you feel happy and welcome. For people like Maggie and me, who are making friends in a new place, they should remember that people are always eager to establish new friendships and spend time with new people.”
Maggie, who enjoyed working at her local hospital added: “When the care home team first introduced us, I was slightly nervous, but soon enough we were giggling our socks off about the hilarity of being older and rocking a pair of big knickers.”
Find a joint passion
Maggie commented: “I’ve always had a real love of jewellery and all things sparkly, so it was lovely to find a new friend who has a passion for the beauty of accessories too. Linda visits charity shops frequently with her family, so when she comes back, we have a great time looking through her haul! It really is a meeting of minds.”
Linda added: “Maggie and I have bonded over our taste in jewellery and fashion and can spend hours comparing our collections. Having a shared hobby, means we never run out of things to say to each other.”
In the coming months, Maggie and Linda plan to take their love of glamour one step further by going for a professional makeover together where they will get their makeup professionally done.
Live and let live
When asked how to maintain a new friendship in later life, Maggie and Linda both agreed that it is important to “live and let live! Life is too short to hold on to bad feelings, so focus on the positives.”
Both ladies are light-hearted in nature and think it is important to have a positive mental attitude and to avoid arguments with friends.
Finding the joy in the everyday has been a key component of Maggie and Linda’s friendship, with Linda adding that her definition of a good friend is “someone who likes to have fun and a giggle even if times are hard.”
Maggie added: “Friendship is about finding someone who cares about you no matter what and I have most certainly found that in my friendship with Linda. Making friends is easier when you have people around you who can introduce you to likeminded people.”
The Sunnyview House team offer a range of activity clubs to encourage their residents to create meaningful friendships in later life, including karaoke days, parties (whichMaggie and Linda love to attend) , wine and cheese evenings, crafting and gardening.
Sunnyview House Bupa Care Home is situated in Leeds and welcomes residents in need of nursing or residential care, including those living with early stage dementia. For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services
