Benefits of Volunteering in Old Age

When it comes to your retirement and old age, it is important to keep your mind busy.

This is why millions of people across the UK are considering volunteering in their old age. This article assesses the different ways you can volunteer, as well as the benefits of volunteering in old age.

It is no secret that people are living longer than ever. Due to medical advancements and technology, people’s life expectancy has increased dramatically from 66.8 years old in 2000 to 73.4 years old in 2019.

The ageing population is one of the biggest health challenges facing the UK population. In fact, unless steps are taken to increase the quality of life in older people, then this will have a huge impact on healthcare systems across the world, including economic and social development for years to come [1].

Quality of life as you age is extremely important. It depends on a number of factors such as access to health services, the environment, biological processes and individual choices when it comes to their health.

Whilst it might be easy to presume that in order to stay healthy in older age, you must look after yourself when you hit a certain age. However, this is simply not the case. In order to ensure that you live a happy and healthy retirement, you must work hard throughout your whole life to ensure that you exercise, eat well and prioritise your health [2].

It is incredibly important that the whole healthcare system works hard to promote healthy living throughout the entire lifecycle, so that you prevent ill health rather than trying to fix or mend it when it is too late [3].

In order to do so, you should try to live a healthy lifestyle by eating healthily, exercising frequently and maintaining social interactions.

As you get older, exercising and maintaining social relationships gets harder, especially after you retire. However, a great way to combat this is to volunteer.

If you would like more information on where you can volunteer at and the benefits of volunteering in old age, then continue reading.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

Benefits of Volunteering in Old Age

Below, we outline some of the benefits of volunteering in old age:

1. Socialising

When it comes to the benefits of volunteering in old age, it is important to remember that creating and maintaining relationships as you get older is an incredibly important part of staying healthy. When you are younger, you socialise on a daily basis, whether it is during school, work or visiting family or friends.

However, as you get older it is easy to neglect socialising on a regular basis, especially after you retire and stop work. Some people in their older age go days or even sometimes a week or two without speaking to anyone, especially if they live alone.

By choosing to volunteer, you will be able to socialise on a daily or weekly basis with other like minded people, with something in common. This will promote brain health and help you to release your happy hormones.

2. Mental wellbeing

When assessing the benefits of volunteering in old age, mental wellbeing cannot be forgotten about or underestimated. Volunteering in your old age promotes healthy mental well being immensely.

You will not only be trying something new and meeting new people, but the sheer act of socialising on a regular basis and feeling like you are contributing to your local community will stimulate and promote mental wellbeing.

In fact, there has been a number of studies comparing those who did volunteer in their older life and those who did not.

The studies have found that people who volunteered on a frequent basis in later life described their lives as more joyful and happy, compared to those who did not volunteer. This is just one of the many benefits of volunteering in old age.

However, it is important to understand that this does not happen overnight. In order to feel the benefits of volunteering in old age, you have to volunteer on a regular basis.

3. It gives you a sense of purpose

One of the biggest benefits of volunteering in old age is that you will be given a sense of purpose. The sad fact is that when you retire, it is easy to feel like you no longer have a purpose.

You work your entire life for your retirement, only to find yourself feeling lost and no longer needed. This is particularly true if you have children who are now grown up and no longer rely on you day to day.

However, our research has found that one of the biggest benefits of retiring in old age is the sense of purpose it gives you once again.

You will be needed and relied upon by your team, and will have certain standards you need to keep to. Although the tasks you will be doing will be voluntary, this does not mean that it is not important and won’t be taken seriously.

The impact of your work will have huge repercussions throughout your local area, and by volunteering on a regular basis you will feel a sense of achievement and purpose once again.

4. Physical activity

One of the biggest benefits of volunteering in old age is that it will help you to get your steps and exercise in, whilst having fun and helping your local community.

By volunteering, you will get out of the house most days, and depending on what type of volunteering you choose to do, you will be able to get out and about on a frequent basis.

You can volunteer to do charity walks and money collecting, or you can offer to do letter drops around the houses in your local area.

Increased physical activity is just one of the benefits of volunteering in old age. However, once someone starts to exercise more often, they often find themselves looking and feeling more positive too, as exercise has many knock on effects.

5. Socialise with young people again

One of the other benefits of volunteering in old age is that you might get to socialise with the younger generation again, depending on what kind of volunteering you choose to do.

You can choose to volunteer at a school, a local community or youth centre or at a local cinema or activity centre. By doing so, you will get the chance to socialise with young people again and bridge the generational gap.

6. Learn new skills

Finally, one of the biggest benefits of volunteering in old age is that you will get the chance to learn a whole host of new skills.

This will not only keep your brain busy and healthy, but it will also ensure that you get joy out of every day. Afterall, studies have shown that learning new skills keeps your mind and body young.

By volunteering, you will learn a whole host of new skills you can put to good use. Why not try volunteering somewhere you have always dreamt of working. For example, if you have always dreamt of working in a theatre then why not volunteer in the art or props department.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

Benefits of Volunteering in Old Age – How Popular is Volunteering?

There are many benefits of volunteering in old age. In fact, it is now estimated that approximately 1 billion people across the world volunteer [4]. In Britain, this equates to approximately 2 in every 5 adults [5] every year.

More people than ever are now volunteering, and numbers have started to increase ever since the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is because there are so many benefits of volunteering in old age. Volunteering is so popular because it offers individuals a chance to socialise, work with other people again and feel a sense of joy and purpose.

In addition to this, the amount of social good volunteering does across the country is unquantifiable. However, people must not forget that volunteering also contributes significantly to the UK economy [6].

In fact, a recent study has shown that volunteering in the UK actually contributes to approximately £15bn to the UK economy [6].

Why Should Older People Volunteer?

As you get older, there are more and more things that you need to deal with. This includes things like poor health and impaired cognitive function. Despite this, retirees still have an awful lot to contribute to their local community.

This is why there are many benefits of volunteering in old age, including their physical skills and interpersonal skills.

The reality is that the older you get, the wiser you get. This is why it is incredibly important for older people to stay active within their community, so that they can put their knowledge and skills to good use.

Older people also benefit from a lot of interpersonal skills, which will help them immensely during their volunteer work.

Retirees also have a keen desire to learn new skills and adapt to new ways of working. Whilst some older people might feel intimidated by technology, this does not mean that they wouldn’t like to learn, given the chance.

The reality is that older people have a lot to contribute when it comes to helping in their local community, and shouldn’t be dismissed as much as they currently are.

Whilst there are many benefits of volunteering in old age, there are also many benefits to older people volunteering.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

Benefits of Volunteering in Old Age – Things to Bear In Mind

If you are considering volunteering in your local area, then you will be well aware just how many benefits of volunteering in old age there are. You are, without a doubt, going to improve your life and the life of those around you.

However, if you are considering volunteering in your local community then there are a number of things that you should consider first.

The first thing you will need to consider is how much time you are realistically able to commit to. Whilst you might initially think that you could volunteer 5 days a week, you need to make sure that you not only want to do this, but are physically able as well.

You need to ensure that you do not make promises that you cannot keep, as it is always harder to cut back once you get going. Make sure that you are very clear about what you can and cannot commit to.

You will also need to ensure that you can easily get to the place where you volunteer. You shouldn’t be putting yourself out every day or week getting multiple buses.

If you can drive, then make sure the place you will be working is nearby, and won’t result in you spending hours in your car every time you want to help.

In addition to this, it is important to understand that in order to become a volunteer, you might have to undergo an interview first.

It is important to understand that the charity or company you want to volunteer at must make sure that all staff working there, volunteers or not, are right for the job and have all the skills they require.

Without the right skills, you won’t be able to do your job properly and you most likely won’t enjoy it as much.

If you can see all the benefits of volunteering in old age and think that you might want to give up some of your time to volunteer in your local area, it is important to speak with the charity first to make sure that they are the right fit for you, and vice versa.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

Places You Can Volunteer

There are lots of places across the UK that you can offer to volunteer at. Whilst there are national charities across most towns and cities in the UK, there will also be a list of smaller, more local charities in your area you can offer to volunteer at.

Some of the larger charities are listed and explained further below.

1. Shelter

Shelter is a charity run all over the UK which helps people with housing. They are dedicated to helping people who are currently suffering from homelessness or other housing issues.

Shelter believes that having a place to call home is a human right and work to defend this right. They offer a range of services locally on a one to one basis, whilst also offering online and over the phone advice. They also offer free legal advice to anyone who might need it.

There are a range of volunteer roles available at Shelter, all of which can be found on their website.

2. Age UK

Age UK is the UK’s leading charity which helps people in their old age. Age UK believes that too many older people are suffering from poverty and social isolation, and all too often find themselves with nowhere to turn when they need help.

Age UK works on a local, national and international basis and offers a range of services including campaigning and research, information and advice, health care, wellbeing advice and a national network of like minded people.

During 2020 and 2021, they answered 195,644 calls from old people needing help. They have also found an extra £50 million in benefits for old people which they otherwise would not have received.

Age UK has a whole range of volunteer opportunities, which you can look through on their website.

3. The Silver line helpline

The silver line helpline is a completely free and confidential phone service for older people who need their advice and help. They provide advice and someone to talk through 24 hours a day.

Volunteering at Silver line helpline involves volunteering over the phone in shifts. Silver line relies on their volunteers to man their phone lines 24/7. By volunteering on the phones for Silver line, you will answer the phone to people who desperately need your support, advice and company.

You might be offering advice to someone who has a query about their house or local bus route, or you might simply be there to keep them company or lend an ear.

4. The Samaritans

The Samaritans are another helpline available to those across the UK who need help and support. The job of a Samaritans volunteer is to simply listen to the person on the other end of the phone.

This could be someone who is feeling lonely, has a family or workplace problem or who is contemplating suicide. The job of a Samaritans volunteer is not to give advice or opinion, but to sit back and listen. You may ask probing questions, but you cannot tell the person on the other end of the phone what to do or how to act.

If you are interested in volunteering but want more information on where you can volunteer, or want to volunteer at a more local charity, then you should visit Doit.life. This website will recommend a whole host of places you can volunteer at depending on your experience and location.

In order to find the right volunteering opportunities for you, simply sign up to the website, create your very own profile, wait for your ID to be verified and get matched with the right volunteering options for you in your area.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

How Much Time Do You Have to Spend Volunteering?

Whilst there are many benefits of volunteering in old age, some people get put off the idea of volunteering because they think that you have to volunteer more hours than they actually need to.

However, research has shown that you actually only have to volunteer as little as one or two hours a week in order to make a difference to your life and the lives of those around you.

Most people work their entire lives so that they can retire, which is why it is not surprising that most people get to retirement and choose not to retire. However, by volunteering as little as one to two hours a week, you can transform your retirement. You will be actively fitter, happier and less lonely if you choose to volunteer during your retirement or as you get older.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

How to Get The Most Out of Volunteering in Old Age

If you have read the benefits of volunteering in old age and think that you might want to volunteer, then we are very happy to hear this.

However, it is important to remember that by volunteering into your old age, you are giving up a lot of your valuable time. This is why it is important that you enjoy your time volunteering and get a lot out of it, personally as well as socially.

It is incredibly important to ensure that the establishment you choose to volunteer at is a good fit for you, and vice versa.

Ask lots of questions

If you want to ensure that you choose the right place to volunteer with, then make sure you visit the establishment or centre before signing up so that you can ask questions. You should ask questions to the other staff and volunteers who work there, to make sure that you would be a good fit.

You could ask them some of the following questions.

• How long have you volunteered here?
• Why did you choose to volunteer here?
• What is it you like about volunteering here?
• What do you do day to day when you are volunteering here?
• How many times a week do you volunteer here?
• What is the environment like here?
• What kind of skills do you need to work or volunteer here?

It is important to ask these questions so that you know this is the right place for you, and so that you are confident that you will get everything you want from your volunteering experience.

If you think you want to volunteer locally and have found your chosen charity or company to volunteer at, then make sure that you don’t put off joining or applying to become a volunteer there. Whilst it might seem like a scary thing to do, the best thing that you can do is to get started. If you put it off, you might not ever do it.

If you want to get the most out of your volunteering, then it is important to remember to have fun. At the end of the day, your retirement is yours to enjoy and do what you please with. Therefore it is important that you enjoy the volunteer work that you do. If you do not enjoy what you do, then you will not stick at it. This is particularly true for any hobbies or volunteer work.

As you can see, there are many benefits of volunteering in old age, but it is also important to make sure that volunteering in old age is the right decision for you.

Please call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0330 058 1579

References

[1] WHO, (2012). 1st World Congress on Healthy Ageing. 19th-22nd March 2012, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Available at: http://www.healthyageingcongress.com/#sthash.Uhk0FOHk.dpuf (accessed June 23, 2015)

[2] Urzúa, A., Bravo, M., Ogalde, M., and Vargas, C. (2011). Factores vinculados a la calidad de vida en la adultez mayor. Revista Medicina Chile 139, 1006–1014. doi: 10.4067/s0034-98872011000800005

[3] Pinquart, M., and Sörensen, S. (2000). Influences of socieconomic status, social networks, and competence on subjective well-being in later life: a meta-analysis. Psychol. Aging 15, 187–224. doi: 10.1037//0882-7974.15.2.187

[4] The power of volunteerism. (2016, September 5). UN Volunteers. https://www.unv.org/power-volunteerism

[5] Our research. (n.d.). NCVO. https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/research/#/

[6] THE UK CIVIL SOCIETY ALMANAC 2018 SUMMARY. (2018). DATA.NCVO.ORG.UK.