29. Retirees Value Friendships More Than Ever

58% of people between the ages of 35 and 44 said that staying connected with friends is important, according to another Merrill Lynch survey. That’s presumably because they’re either more focused on their families or careers. And if their friends are in the same age group, with similar thoughts, then missing out on a few phone calls or outings might not be seen as a huge issue.

But what about seniors? 80% of respondents over the age of 65 said that staying connected with friends was important to them. That could be why when asked where they’d like to relocate or questioned about leisure activities, most of them brought up their friends as being far more important factors in their decision-making process.