.jpg)
If you’ve packed a bag at a food pantry, sorted clothes at a shelter, or offered your expertise on a nonprofit committee recently, consider yourself a community hero in the face of declining volunteerism.
According to AARP, volunteer rates and hours have been declining steadily for 20 years. Older volunteers, however, are bucking the trend. Despite the pandemic and the fact that more older adults are in the workforce, the share of total volunteer hours accounted for by the 65-plus demographic increased from 18.5 percent in 2002 to 28.6 percent in 2021.
Part of that dedication to volunteerism may be that so many older adults recognize the benefits of the unpaid work they provide. Research consistently shows that volunteering builds physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. A 2020 Data Review in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine observed almost 13,000 participants in a Health and Retirement Study and found that people who volunteered for at least 100 hours per year for four years experienced:
• Reduced risk of mortality • Reduced risk of physical functioning limitations
• Increased amounts of physical activity
• Better psychosocial outcomes, like increased optimism and stronger sense of purpose But, even short-term experiences with volunteering can have a powerful impact, releasing all those “happy chemicals” in the brain: serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. The simple way to say it? Doing good is good for you.
If you’d like to try volunteering, either every once in a while or on a more regular basis, consider what you like to do. Maybe you’re a natural mentor, enjoy knitting or feel a surge of satisfaction playing with dogs. Find and research organizations that fit your skills and interests. Websites like volunteermatch. org or idealist. org can help. Learn about the organization’s mission, vision and values to ensure they match your personal beliefs.
No matter what type of service you choose, your volunteerism can have a positive impact on people of all ages for generations to come. Do you have friends, relatives or neighbors making a difference as volunteers in our community? Give them a call to express your appreciation or send them a note of gratitude during National Volunteer Week, April 21-27.
Through our willingness to serve and recognize the good deeds of others, we can encourage a volunteer resurgence in the communities we love. Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) has ongoing need for Meals on Wheels and senior transportation volunteers, as well as individuals interested in helping with recreational programming. To learn more, call (540) 261-7474 or visit vpas.info/volunteer.
