Volunteering Opportunities For Seniors

Most people daydream all their working lives about retirement. They look forward to when they can leave their jobs behind and spend their days doing everything that they always wanted to do but never had the time. When that day finally arrives, it is often a bittersweet revelation for many retirees because no matter how many leisurely pursuits they have, it does not keep them busy all day, every day. Eventually, boredom sets in because they have too much time on their hands.
When people and especially older adults have too much idle time, they can easily become bored to the point that they feel lonely, anxious, and even depressed. This is true whether you live alone or with a partner because no matter how many scheduled activities you might have planned, it will take up only part of the day rather than all of it. What to do with this excess idle time is a quandary many retirees struggle with each day.
Consider Becoming A Volunteer
There is only so much you can do to stay active around the home, so many smart seniors are reaching out into their communities and spending time as volunteers for causes and organizations they support. What these seniors quickly learn is that the benefit of volunteering is a two-way street. It not only helps people in need, but it also enables senior volunteers to engage in meaningful and productive activities that can promote their overall physical and mental well-being.
Seniors who spend time in service of others keep their bodies active and their minds alert. Medical research has concluded that volunteers, and especially those 65 and older, experience lower rates of anxiety and depression. Volunteering gives seniors a renewed sense of purpose that has a stress-reducing effect on their lives. By doing good for others, volunteers do good for themselves, too.
Seniors who dedicate their time and experience to causes that they believe in report that they have a greater sense of self-esteem that translates into a more positive outlook on life. They enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing that they are changing the world for the better not just because they have the time, but especially because they have the heart.
There are other benefits that senior volunteers enjoy. It provides older adults with opportunities to sharpen old skills and learn new ones which results in improvement of their cognitive functions. Volunteering also enables seniors to expand their social networks so they can meet new people, make new friends, and create nurturing social interactions with people who share similar interests.
Volunteers have a reason to wake up every morning and look forward to the day ahead. Instead of having morning coffee wondering what to do with their time, they have schedules to follow and goals to achieve that get them out of bed with a spring in their step. Knowing they are wanted, needed, and appreciated in the places they volunteer is a wonderful, priceless feeling they all enjoy.
Become A Volunteer Today
Seniors volunteer for different reasons but all have one important common denominator – they have the burning desire to give, to share and to care. Whether it is helping at the local animal shelter, food bank, health care organization or any other like community-based organization, older adults learn that they will always be young enough to make the world a better place for everyone.