Most adult friendships form through structures like work, school, or raising kids together — structures that thin out after 60. New friendships still form, just through different channels.
Where new friendships actually start now
Recurring, low-stakes activities work best: a class, a walking group, a volunteer shift. Repeated exposure to the same people, doing something specific together, builds familiarity faster than purely social events.
Lower the bar for a "yes"
Say yes to invitations you'd normally decline out of mild inconvenience — much of adult friendship is built on accumulated small yeses, not one perfect connection.
Give any new activity at least three tries before deciding whether it's a fit — the first time is almost always the most awkward.