4 Reasons Why Seniors Should Volunteer This Year

If your senior loved one is aging in place and is struggling to find purpose or isn’t getting out of the house enough volunteering can be a great option to help them find purpose and meet new people. It’s very common for seniors to struggle a bit after they retire and enter a new phase of life where they don’t have the same routine that they have had for a long time. Many seniors have had the same job and the same routine for more than a decade. So when they stop working they may feel lost and like they don’t have a purpose. Volunteering can help seniors by:

Giving Seniors Social Connection

Loneliness is something that seniors need to be concerned about. When seniors aren’t getting enough social interaction they can suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Seniors who are lonely also have a higher risk of serious physical health problems like heart attacks and strokes. Volunteering will get seniors out of the house and interacting with people on a regular basis. That human contact is essential to having a good quality life and feeling like life is worth living. 

Giving Seniors A Purpose

Feeling needed and useful is essential for everyone. When seniors retire they may lose their sense of purpose and struggle to feel needed. Volunteering gives seniors the chance to positively impact the world, help out in the community, and make life better for others. It doesn’t matter if your senior parent is volunteering walking dogs for a dog rescue or acting as a mentor for the next generation of business leaders or teaching immigrants English all volunteer tasks provide that important sense of purpose for seniors. 

Seniors Have A Lot To Offer

One of the biggest reasons why seniors should consider volunteering this year is that they have a lot to offer. Seniors have business skills, interpersonal skills, customer service skills, conflict resolution skills, and many other skills that are very important to individuals and to the communities where they live. Seniors may also have practical skills that they can use while volunteering too. 

Better Mental And Physical Health

Seniors who volunteer have better physical and mental health, but they are also happier. One Harvard study found that seniors who volunteer are up to three times happier and more content as they get older than seniors who don’t volunteer. 

Seniors who have mobility challenges or health conditions may feel that they can’t volunteer but they are welcome to volunteer and their skills are still valuable. Seniors who need a little extra assistance can get help from elder care if they need transportation help or help with household tasks. And seniors who can’t leave the house can still volunteer with help from an elder care provider. They can volunteer from home making phone calls or doing other tasks. All seniors have skills to offer and should consider volunteering to do something they enjoy this year.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elder Care in Elk Grove, CA please contact the caring staff at Aging Assistant today. (916) 897-4752