How Volunteering is Helping Seniors and the Economy

Talk to most any senior about the benefits of volunteering, and you'll likely get a laundry list of all the good vibes that giving back generates. Volunteering has a solid research track record of benefits. But the perks go beyond just feeling good. The truth is, volunteering benefits the economy as much as it does the individuals who give and receive.

The most recent data from the Corporation for National and Community Service indicates that one of four older Americans 55 and older - that's 18.7 million people - makes a positive impact on their local communities through volunteering. Between 2008 and 2010, these adults contributed more than 3 billion hours of service per year in their communities. The economic benefit of their service to communities totaled more than $64 billion.

"If anything, the recession has pointed to the increased need for volunteer support," said Dr. Erwin Tan, director of Senior Corps, whose organization is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Three in five senior volunteers in the Home Instead Senior Care network survey* say they are volunteering more now because the need is greater as result of the poor economy.

"Volunteering provides many older adults with a purpose," said Dr. Erwin Tan, director of Senior Corps. "That purpose can help sustain a healthier lifestyle that includes increased physical, mental and social activity."

It appears that volunteering pays special dividends for seniors who have chronic health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, dementia or Alzheimer's disease. 

Three-fourths of these seniors (75%) say that staying active through volunteering helps them manage these conditions, according to research conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care® network.

The following are other benefits those 65 and older who volunteer have reported, according to the research.

1. Strengthened Mission - 99% want to make a difference. Whether it's passing out lunches to the homeless or building a home for a family in need, nearly all senior volunteers want to make a difference.

2. Improved Physical Health - 98% stay active and feel better physically. Recent research confirms what other studies have revealed: giving back pays special dividends in increased activity, which often results in improved health.

3. Stronger Emotional Foundation - 98% feel better emotionally. Perhaps it's the idea of putting others' needs before one's own, but older volunteers almost always feel better emotionally.

4. Renewed Spiritual Purpose - 98% gain a sense of purpose. Along with a need to make a difference, senior volunteers overwhelmingly want to gain a sense of purpose.

5. Shared wisdom - 90% want to share their talents, skills and experience. Many older adults have spent a lifetime in careers or honing domestic and creative skills that they are more than happy to share with others.

6. Refreshed Perspective and Mental Acuity - 84% want to occupy their free time. Published studies from the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial showed that seniors volunteering in the classroom helped support certain mental tasks like "executive function" or brain activity in key areas of the brain.

7. Effective Pain Remedy - 75% with chronic conditions say volunteering helps them manage these conditions. It appears that giving back could serve as an important stress reliever and distraction for seniors suffering from various chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure.

8. Better Mental Outlook - 70% are able to overcome feeling depressed. Depression is among the biggest challenges faced by older adults who have lost spouses or whose families have moved away or are too busy for them. Nearly three-fourths in the survey say volunteering can help.

9. Invigorated Social Networks - 74% are able to overcome feeling isolated. There's no time when the risk of isolation is as great as the senior years. Volunteering gives many seniors a reason to walk out the door each morning.

10. Long-Lasting Legacies - 53% say that they learned the importance of volunteering from their parents' community service and 84 percent say they have encouraged their children to give back to their communities.

Primary Volunteer Activities of Seniors Include:

Churches/Religious Organization: 47%

Senior Centers/Senior related services: 16%

Hospitals/Healthcare organizations: 10%

Schools/Educational/Youth Services: 10%

Social Services/Non-Profit Organizations: 7%

For more information about this and other senior related issues, please visit our website at: 

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