Becoming the pen pal of a senior citizen can improve his mood and overall outlook.
There are more than 41 people age 65 and older in the United States as of 2011, according to the CIA. A number of those seniors live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and have little contact with others. Writing to a senior citizen pen pal can be beneficial for both you and the senior. While it can help you meet someone new from an older generation, having a pen pal gives a senior citizen some much-needed social interaction, helps keep his mind sharp, gives him something to look forward to and improves his mental health overall, according to the Web site of Hamilton Park, an assisted living facility in Jersey City.
Instructions
1. Find a senior citizen who is looking for a pen pal. Contact local senior centers and nursing homes and ask if they know of any residents who are looking for a pen pal. If you don't mind your pen pal not being local, visit Web sites like Seniors-Site.com, Retirement-Online.com and FreePenPalsNet.com, browse through the listings of senior citizens seeking a pen pal and find one that you'd like write to.
2. Start your letter by writing the current date near the top of the page. If you are writing to your pen pal for the first time, address him as "Mr." or followed by his last name (i.e. "Dear Mr. Richardson"). Once you get to know himl, you can use his first name.
3. Introduce yourself in the body of the letter and tell your pen pal all about yourself. Tell him your age, what your interests are and where you found the information to contact him. Ask him what he's interested in. That will give you topics to write about in future letters. If you and your pen pal have written back and forth before, pick up where the last letter left off, answer any questions your pen pal asked you and inquire about his life since the last time he wrote.
4. End your letter with a conclusion line, such as "Looking forward to your reply" or "I can't wait to hear back from you" followed by "Sincerely," "Until later" or "Take care." Sign your name at the bottom of the letter.
5. Seal your letter in an envelope and address the envelope to your pen pal and mail it if you are writing to your pen pal through traditional mail. If you are writing to your pen pal through e-mail, enter your pen pal's e-mail address in the "To" line and click "Send."
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