Positive Ageing Week - Reframing Volunteering for Older Adults

This week is positive aging week, and so we’re taking a look at how volunteering can benefit older people - not in the context of volunteering to help them, but rather as volunteers themselves. Often, when we hear ‘elderly people’ and ‘volunteering’ in the same sentence, we might think about charitable organisations such as ALONE that work to help older people and combat ageism in our society. However, older adults are an absolutely invaluable part of the volunteering ecosystem themselves. In this week’s blog post, we’re going to look at how volunteering can be beneficial to older people.

Positive ageing week is about celebrating the contributions that older people make to our society, and combating ageism by reframing the context in which we view older people and their place in our community. Volunteering is all about being an active and engaged citizen in your community, and so it’s only natural that it comes up as a solution to many of the difficulties that older people face as they move into new phases of their life.

Benefits of Volunteering as an Older Adult

Older people have invaluable life experience that would be an asset to any community organisation. Things like self-assurance, confidence, leadership and interpersonal skills are all things that we only get better at as we get older, and every charitable organisation needs someone with these skills on their team. That’s not even mentioning the wide variety of skills, career experience and general knowledge that older adults naturally possess! 

If you are retired, or find that there isn’t as much work to be done around the house as there once was, volunteering can help add structure to your day. It can be really difficult to adjust to big life changes like these, and sometimes having too much free time can make us feel lost. Many retirees who volunteer report that their roles become a fulfilling way to spend their time, and a fantastic way to combat boredom. As well as that, it helps to give your days and weeks some structure and a schedule, which is often cited as a key factor in managing and preventing depression and other mental health issues.

The ‘helper’s high’, a concept coined by the professor Dr. Allan Luks, found that those who volunteer are ten times more likely to be in good health than those who do not. Being selfless and generous with our time makes us feel good about ourselves, and it can lead to an overall better sense of self-worth. Knowing that you are contributing to your community and helping people is a truly incredible feeling - some people even find it addictive! 

Setbacks and How to Address Them

Even knowing all of this, it can still be daunting to make the commitment. After all, we all lead busy lives, and we may struggle to find the time or energy needed to make the first step. As well as that, you’re not sure if you’re going to like it, so it’s only natural to be a bit hesitant. But fear not - these are concerns that everyone has, and there are many ways to address them. Volunteering does not have to mean a huge time commitment - there are a lot of roles that only require a few hours a week. As well as this, most voluntary organisations utilize a trial period in which you can get to know the role, and your coordinators can get to know you. If you find that the role isn’t for you, you can move on to find something that suits you better. 

You can find hundreds of volunteer opportunities across the country on i-vol.ie. There are plenty of remote positions available too if you prefer to volunteer from home. And, as always, we’re here at Louth Volunteer Centre to help you with anything you need along the way. 

Happy Volunteering!