Any kind of charitable act more often than not results in the giver feeling like the receiver. Volunteering your time with someone who is socially isolated, does not get out much, enjoys the company of others – facts that are often relevant with the elderly – is a really great way to feel good and give back.
But how does one go about this? There are various web-based guides to help one navigate the process. For example, Create the Good has assembled a list of tips as well as locations for volunteer opportunities. It is a good idea to talk to people in your community who work with the elderly, like the Church, the Recreation Center and a team of social workers.
For the more creative potential volunteers, there is no reason why one cannot launch their very own program for seniors. One example of this is the Go4Life exercise campaign originally set up by the National Institute on Aging. For those volunteers interested in organizing this kind of campaign in their neighborhood, they will receive free resources from the NIA and the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Another great way to volunteer with the elderly is to help them get used to technology. Many seniors actually have the capacity to work with computers etc., but just have never been taught. Set up a SeniorNet Computer Learning Center in your community or, for those who are somewhat computer savvy, a way of avoiding potential scams.
There are many ways of volunteering with seniors. First figure out what you enjoy doing and what you are good at and then see if you can use that to help the elderly.
