With so many technological means of staying in touch these days, one would perhaps be mistaken for thinking that distance would be no barrier to staying in touch with those dear to us. Research from the University of Michigan highlights, however, that for older adults, moving away can result in relationships with friends withering.

Keeping in touch

The researchers explored the frequency of communication with friends among older adults, whether by phone, email, or in person after they had moved away. The results show that relocation appears to have a significant impact on contact frequency, with technology seeming to offer little assistance in maintaining more frequent contact as we move away.

This matters, as the researchers cite various studies highlighting the important role social networks and social support from our family and friends play in our physical and mental health, especially as we get older.

“Keeping contact with long-time friends continues to be important after age 50,” the researchers explain. “Indeed, ongoing research suggests that contact with friends provides different benefits for personal well-being.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, in-person contact was most likely to be affected by distance as it created significant barriers to keeping in touch. Keeping in touch via telephone was also affected, however, and especially by long-distance moves. The researchers believe this is perhaps caused by the need to coordinate schedules in order to make calls.

“The friend may have also moved to a different country or time zone. Or, if the friend was older, he/she may have hearing difficulties, be impaired physically, have dementia, or deceased,” they explain.

It’s also likely that when we move we will make an effort to establish new friends among people who live nearby. This can prompt a breakdown in our existing friendships. One caveat the researchers make is that the data was taken pre-pandemic, so it’s unclear whether the changes in our communication methods introduced during social distancing measures may have had a more permanent impact on our friendships.