I Care About Your Wellness

1. Seek like-minded souls. Being around people who share your interests gives you a head start on making friends: you already have something in common.

Start by considering your interests. Are you a voracious reader, a history lover, a movie aficionado, a gardener, a foodie, a puppy parent or an athlete?

Are you passionate about a cause, your community or your heritage? Do you collect things? Do you love classic cars? Do you enjoy sprucing up old furniture?

Maybe you want to learn something new, like how to cook Chinese food or speak another language. Search for online groups, in-person clubs, volunteer opportunities or classes that match your interests.

diabetes program called Rewind.

But she worries that programs like WeightWatchers are primarily interested in boosting enrollment — and profits.

“My hope is that they do their due diligence and have real monitoring of the pa-

Once you join a group, you’ll need to participate regularly to build bonds. If you can gather in person, it’s even better.

“The part of our brain involved in social connection is stimulated by all five senses. When you’re with someone in the same room, you get a much stronger set of stimuli than you do by watching them on a screen,” Dr. Olds said.

2. Create opportunities. If joining someone else’s group is unappealing, start your own. Host gatherings at your place or elsewhere.

“All it takes is three people. You can say, ‘Let’s read books or talk about a TV show

See LONELINESS, page 6 tients taking the drugs,” Rothberg said. It’s important to make sure that patients are taking the drugs for the intended purpose, that there’s no reason they shouldn’t take the drugs, and that they’re monitored for side effects, she added. —AP

Housing Communities

❏ Brightview Senior Living (see ad on page 9)

❏ Brooke Grove (see ads on pages 14, 24)

❏ Charlestown (see ad on page 7)

❏ Homecrest House (see ad on page 6)

❏ Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant (see ad on page 15)

❏ Oasis Senior Advisors (see ad on page 4)

❏ Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 18)

❏ Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 18)

❏ Residences at Vantage Point (see ad on page 3)

❏ Shriner Court (see ad on page 20)