Research indicates that older adults who engage in volunteer work experience better health outcomes compared to their peers. Studies show that these volunteers report lower blood pressure, a slower aging process, and a reduced risk of heart attacks. Additionally, volunteering is associated with improved mental health, including decreased symptoms of depression and an increased sense of life satisfaction. The article advocates for a future where healthcare professionals encourage volunteering as part of elder care prescriptions to enhance overall well-being among aging populations.
While spending more than a dozen years researching what happens when older adults volunteer with nonprofits, we've found that volunteers consider themselves to be in better health than their peers.
Other researchers have found that volunteering is associated with a lower risk of having a heart attack.
Volunteering is tied to having fewer symptoms of depression and being more satisfied with your life, bringing an instant boost in mood.
We envision a future in which older people leave a doctor's visit with a prescription to go volunteer for something.
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