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Invitation to a birthday coffee: Seniors strengthen community in Leeste!
The Leeste parish celebrated a birthday coffee drink for seniors aged 70 and over on October 28th, 2025 to promote community and social contacts.
Invitation to a birthday coffee: Seniors strengthen community in Leeste!
A new offer has been established in tranquil Leeste that aims to specifically counteract loneliness in old age. Since 2025, the parish has been organizing regular birthday coffee drinks for members aged 70 and over, a charming occasion that is intended to strengthen the community. At the last event, around 100 seniors were able to enjoy coffee, cake and a varied program in the community hall. But the invitation to those celebrating an anniversary also brought with it an unexpected response: 150 responses were received to the invitations, which made the chairman of the church council, Volker Greulich, regret that not everyone interested could find space. District newspaper reports on this lively and well-attended event, underlined by the introductory words of Pastor Stephan Knapmeyer, who emphasizes the appreciation through personal invitations.
Loneliness, a painful feeling that is not only a challenge for affected seniors, often manifests itself as a discrepancy between desired and actual social relationships. Wikipedia describes loneliness as a subjective feeling that is experienced as negative. This feeling can have a serious impact on quality of life and health, especially as we get older, which is why drinking coffee is a small but important step in the right direction.
Loneliness in old age – a big challenge
According to the AOK, many seniors suffer from the consequences of loneliness and social isolation. The health effects are anything but harmless, how AOK explains: Less exercise, sleep disorders and an increased risk of chronic illnesses are just some of the adverse consequences. What is particularly worrying is the fact that lonely seniors often exercise less and are more likely to suffer from depression.
The idea behind the birthday coffee drink originally came from a friend of the board from Paderborn and was already well received at the premiere in May 2025, when 90 participants attended the event. Monika Greulich from the Frauenkreis emphasizes that this meeting is a wonderful opportunity for seniors to make new contacts and meet old acquaintances.
The three-part program that is part of the events includes, in addition to the social get-together, musical interludes and a Low German reading, which further enriches the event and lifts the mood. The women's circle plans to offer this event quarterly in order to meet the growing demand and, above all, to counteract the loneliness of the older generation.
We can't wait to see how this great offer will develop further and what wonderful encounters the next birthday coffee events will bring with them. After all, meeting new people is one of the best ways to banish loneliness and increase your joy in life!