Volunteering in Retirement - Benefits for All!
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month!
Meals on Wheels of Loveland and Berthoud relies on our valuable volunteers every day. Our success is only made possible through their hard work and dedication.
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month! We will be recognizing all of our volunteers with some special activities planned during our Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 18 - 22.
6 Reasons to Volunteer in Retirement
Our volunteers are involved members of our greater community who value giving back to their community and the causes they care about. Volunteering for cared causes offers a variety of benefits. The interaction created when volunteering is great for physical and mental health - especially for able-bodied older adults. A recent article by Alyssa Putzer, Communications Specialist for Results Plus Software, highlighted 6 reasons to consider volunteering as part of your retirement plan:
Our Ktichen Volunteers help the Staff prep meals for daily delivery.
Volunteering creates a bridge for the generation gap. Volunteering provides the opportunity for individuals from a variety of generations to gather together around a common cause. This connection can increase camaraderie and encourage a deeper understanding of each other.
Volunteering improves mental health. Participating in activities to keep your mind sharp can lower the risk of dementia and other mental health issues.
Volunteering provides a barrier to isolation and depression. Volunteering for an important cause gets you out of the house and involved in something bigger than yourself. It also provides physical activity - increasing your endorphins, which can lead to a better outlook.
Volunteering promotes physical activity. As just mentioned, volunteering gets people up and moving - great tools when maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Volunteering pushes you to try new things. One can never be too old to learn a new skill, meet new people, or become involved in a new organization. Volunteering gets you out of your everyday routine, and always gives you something to look forward to.
Volunteering offers missing structure. When you leave the workforce to retire, there is often a difficult transition from the structure of the workweek to the laid back flow of retirement. Volunteering can bring back some of the structure, and encourages retirees to get out of their home routines every once in a while.
The article concludes with the reminder that “every generation can experience the joys of volunteering.” Retirees, especially, can see physical, mental, and emotional benefits when they give back to their communities.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Meals on Wheels of Loveland and Berthoud volunteer, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator and Program Director for more information. Or, you can start the orientation process by filling out an informational form here.
“6 Reasons to Volunteer in Retirement” by Alyssa Putzer, Communications at REsultsPlus from Metafile.