Volunteering Programs for Seniors
Senior Living - Keeping Involved
What is it that makes senior living worth the wait? Keeping involved. It does not matter so much what activity you choose to occupy your free time; what matters most is that the activity gives you a reason to get out and do something that matters.
Keeping involved is important in senior living for many reasons. When you stay involved, you are keeping your mind alert. Regardless of the activity, being involved requires you to keep using the skills you have mastered through the years: your communication skills, your interpersonal skills, your critical thinking and analytical skills, and your mobility skills. In a sense, keeping involved keeps your body in tune.
Keeping involved also is the best way to keep the doors to future possibilities open. You never know what you might learn, who you might meet, or what opportunities you might happen upon when you’re out and about. Being “old” does not mean that all doors will close in your face. In fact, there is no reason for the doors to do anything but open. As long as you make it known to others that you are physically and mentally capable of lending your assistance, opportunities will continue to come your way. It’s just the way life works, regardless of your age.
Here are just a few of the opportunities for a willing volunteer:
- "Foster Grandparents"
- Read to Children
- Administrative Assistance
- Tutoring for young children
Think about seniors you know who, for whatever reason, do not get out very often. What are their lives like? They have nothing new to talk about, they spend a great portion of the day sleeping (which keeps them up at night), and they seem to develop one physical ailment after another. Inactivity is a senior’s biggest enemy. Don’t let yourself become inactive, especially when you have so much to offer.
Senior living can be rewarding, as long as you put “keeping involved” on the top of your To Do list. It is easy to stay involved and one of the easiest ways is to find volunteer opportunities that interest you. Once you start looking, you’ll see that volunteer opportunities are all around. Hospitals, schools, government agencies, and community services are just some of the places that stay in business thanks to the many people who selfishly devote their time and their energy to helping out.
There’s another very simple way to find out about volunteer opportunities and other ways of keeping involved. Contact the Senior Corps for more information. The Senior Corps heads up three major programs geared at individuals aged 55 and over: the Foster Grandparent Program, the Companion Program and the RSVP Program.
The Foster Grandparent program is probably the most rewarding of the three. Its goal is to match up seniors and children with exceptional needs. The Companion Program matches up those in need of companionship and routine assistance with eligible seniors. And the RSVP Program helps seniors find suitable volunteer opportunities right within their communities.
If you’re retired but not ready to settle down, make “keeping involved” your number 1 priority. You’ll be surprised by how much you are needed.