Members of the Northern Virginia Hiking Club pose on a mountaintop after a recent hike. The group offers hikes of various levels of difficulty several times a month throughout the metro area. Joining local social groups — from hiking clubs to knitting circles — can improve one’s mental and physical health. Photo courtesy of Northern Virginia Hiking Club

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When Mano Malayanur first moved to America from India three decades ago, he struggled to meet people. Then he learned about a new club at the time, the Northern Virginia Hiking Club, which organized group hikes in the area. He joined one hike and has been a member of the club ever since.

“It’s been fantastic. For me, as an immigrant to the U.S., when I joined the club, it helped me find friends, and we do things together. We’ve formed lifelong friendships,” said Malayanur, now in his 60s and the president of the Northern Virginia Hiking Club.

We humans are social beings by nature. Indeed, three years ago, scientists announced that loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking cigarettes or being obese. Another large study in 2018 found that loneliness increases the risk of dementia by 40 percent.

But it’s not always easy to make connections with others, particularly with COVID still in the background.

Fortunately, many clubs and social groups in our area are available to boost both mood and health. Most clubs welcome people of all ages, and regular attendance isn’t required.

Even shy people typically feel comfortable meeting new people on the trail, in small groups, said Malayanur, who leads several hikes every month, mostly in Virginia state parks.

“One of the good things about hiking is that people can do whatever they prefer. If they want to chat, they can chat. If they want to hike alone, that’s perfectly okay, too.”

Hiking together is a low-risk form of exercise. During a group hike, Malayanur pointed out, “people have a way to get out of their homes and into a relatively safe environment — outdoors — without fear of infection.”

The hiking club offers hikes of different levels of strenuousness at least twice a week (annual membership is $5). Despite the group’s name, its hikes occur all over the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Most members tend to be “older,” Malayanur said. “We have people in their 70s doing [even difficult] hikes.”

Overcome challenges together

Of course, not everyone can or wants to go hiking. People with health problems can find common ground in support groups for conditions from diabetes to addiction to dementia.

For instance, people with Parkinson’s disease compare notes once a month via a Zoom session hosted by Baltimore-based Jewish Community Services (JCS). Michelle Goldberg, senior manager of community engagement and partnerships, oversees JCS’s dozen support groups and facilitates the Parkinson’s group.

“This group is very upbeat,” Goldberg said. “Someone was very nervous to come — he was struggling with it — and a guy said, ‘Look at me! I’ve had it for 20 years.”

From their Zoom rectangles, each person asks questions, offers suggestions, recommends doctors, and talks about what exercises help.

“With Parkinson’s, it’s not an exact science,” Goldberg said. “When people offer each other ideas, it’s sort of like troubleshooting.”

Find Good Company on Zoom

When the pandemic hit, Goldberg and a colleague at JCS decided to do something positive: start a conversation group for ordinary people over 60 who may be stuck at home.

Three years later, about a dozen people continue to meet on Zoom on the first and third Wednesdays of each month for a lunchtime conversation called Good Company.

“We always start by introducing ourselves and catching up on what’s new,” said the group’s facilitator, Rozi Rice, volunteer coordinator at JCS.

“I’m there to encourage conversation, but we don’t put anyone on the spot…I have some icebreaker prompts to encourage conversation. We’ll play Family Feud or Jeopardy, so the hour goes quickly.”

One member said that before she attended Good Company, she expected to hear “a bunch of seniors complaining,” Rice remembered. But after the hour was up, she said, “I’ve never been around a group of more positive and engaging people.”

Another participant said that since the pandemic, “she has more virtual friends now than she has real-life friends,” Rice reported.

Rice, who is herself an older adult, said, “I get as much out of it as they do. It’s wonderful to see older adults who are active and interesting and engaging — and they’re all welcome.”

Although JCS is based in Baltimore, Good Company is open and free to anyone, anywhere. “We would love to have anyone join us. We’re always happy to have new people,” Rice said.

Quilting makes friends of strangers

Every day, Charlene Marshall walks to the Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center in Washington D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood to meet with her close-knit (ouch!) quilting group.

“We were strangers, but now most of us have been friends for over 10 years,” said Marshall, who has taught a quilting class at the center for 11 years. “We’re a social group. We sew; we talk; we have made articles for the community and for the homeless.”

Marshall’s grandmother taught her how to sew, and as Marshall got older, she became interested in quilting. She took a class at G Street Fabrics. To keep learning, she joined several quilting groups, known as bees or guilds.

When the senior center opened, the city wanted to hire someone to teach a quilting class there, and a friend suggested Marshall.

All abilities are welcome in the quilting room, Marshall said. “Some people just come down to the room and just sit there, not necessarily sewing; they sit there just to talk. They crack jokes and tease each other, but we still have fun.”

Most senior centers offer an array of classes and groups, from crafts to a nature appreciation club. When people see each other week after week, they tend to look after each other, Marshall said.

“We keep in touch when we’re not there.”

To join the Northern Virginia Hiking Club, visit nvhc.com.

For more information about Good Company or the Parkinson’s support group, call (410) 843-7325 or visit jcsbalt.org.

Contact the Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center at (202) 727-0338 about knitting class or visit your local senior or recreation center for similar classes and programs.

Meetup.com is also an excellent resource for local clubs.