The transition between employment and retirement can be difficult for some seniors. Also, conditions of age may prevent seniors from being as involved in the community as they'd like. As you age, you may have trouble relating to others, or may suffer from low self esteem. Community service is a way to benefit your community and yourself simultaneously. Through volunteer work, you'll find a new purpose in life and a new zeal for service.
Social Benefits
Social isolation can be a serious problem for senior citizens, and 28 percent of Americans over the age of 65 live alone, according to the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging. When seniors live alone, the loss of their typical roles and events like the death of a spouse can cause loneliness and isolation. Volunteer work can help them get out of the house and forge new friendships with others in the community. They can get to know other seniors and create a new social circle based on volunteer work.
Time Benefits
Having a long day without plans stretching out before you can make you feel lonely, depressed and bored. Filling your time with community service gives you a schedule of events and appointments to look forward to, especially if you have a lot of unfilled time. Look for volunteer and community service opportunities that allow you to volunteer during your free time; most volunteer organizations let you choose your own hours and availability.
Self Esteem Benefits
You once were a powerful breadwinner for your family, but senior citizenship and retirement might affect your self esteem. Your roles are suddenly changed, and you might feel like less of a person without a paying job to go to every day. Volunteering can give your self esteem a boost as you help other people and learn new skills, says the Corporation for National and Community Service. As you test your abilities and put your skills to good use, you receive a valuable self esteem boost. As people come to depend on you and your community service, you'll be a needed and even indispensable member of a team.
Health Benefits
Community service can benefit your health as you age. A study performed by the University of Singapore and published in a 2009 issue of Age and Ageing found that older adults that engaged in community service and volunteer work reported less depression symptoms, better cognition and an overall higher satisfaction with life than those who did not volunteer. Volunteering can essentially help you lead a longer, healthier life.
Member Comments