How to make friends after moving, amid coronavirus

It's easy to find a local group with similar interests. On your Facebook account, click “groups” and then “discover.” To get local, type in something like “orchids, Del Ray Beach,

Florida.” Up pops “Delray Beach Orchid Society.” Click the “about” tab to find out more. If you're comfortable getting out and about, Guarino suggests finding a social distancing

workout or yoga class, or even taking on a new sport like hiking, pickleball or tennis — something that allows for space between people and takes place outside. Volunteering can also be done

with social distancing practices in place. Keep in mind though, that if you've connected on social media and decide to meet a group in person, “ask about social distancing rules before

you show up. If the rules are in line with what you need, that's great,” Guarino says. “But if not, it's up to you to determine whether you'd be comfortable.” REMAIN ENGAGED

TO ALLEVIATE ANXIETY Another couple, Theresa and Harvey Beldner, both 50, moved from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Buffalo, New York, when Harvey got a new job. They have three adult children no

longer living at home and a 10-year-old son who does. Normally, school is a place they'd meet others. But, “the school shut down four days after we arrived,” Theresa says. Harvey has

met some people at his new company — and luckily, one family also has a 10-year old son. However, Harvey, Theresa and their son still feel isolated, and because of COVID-19 are “cautious

about making connections,” Theresa says. They recognize, though, that even if they hadn't moved, they and their son would still be somewhat isolated from friends. “It's lonely,”

Theresa says, “but it's lonely for everyone." This kind of social isolation worries many in the therapy community. “It can be incredibly frightening to move to a different home or

state in the midst of the pandemic. Change is hard itself, but change mixed with the fear of contracting COVID-19 can lead to distressing anxiety,” says Leela R. Magavi, the regional medical

director for California-based Community Psychiatry. “Individuals I evaluate over the age of 50 often express intense isolation and loneliness.”