50+ Lifestyles

Aging and You

Volunteering and the Older Adult

By Julie Arndt
Marketing Director at Ridgecrest Village

It’s estimated that 25% of the world’s population volunteers in some capacity. April is National Volunteer Month and is a wonderful time to acknowledge the benefits of volunteering and to thank all those who give their time, talents, and treasures to volunteer.

Volunteering is good for the soul. Growing up on a farm in northern Iowa and being the youngest of six, volunteering was a way of life for as long as I can remember. We didn’t question it; it was just expected. I recall my parents traveling every Saturday to a community thirty miles away to pick up the nuns and bring them back to teach catechism. As a teen I volunteered at the local hospital as a candy-striper, passing water to the patients and spending time with older adults in skilled care. In college I did the same. We have passed this on to our kids and it’s been a good thing all the way around.

So why volunteer and why is it important to continue the giving of self as we get older?

For the older adult, volunteering is especially important as it leads to increased physical and mental well-being. Research suggests 60-year-olds who volunteer tend to have better physical health compared to those who do not volunteer, and decreased incidences of depression and anxiety, especially for those 65 and older.

Volunteering provides a sense of purpose with the added benefit of engagement. It’s a great way to make friends and avoid social isolation and loneliness. Ridgecrest has a very active volunteer service league and has built in opportunities to volunteer. We make it easy to stay active and understand the importance of giving back. We have 14 resident ambassadors who help at open houses and events, and welcome guests and new residents to the campus. The Ridgecrest libraries, resale shop, cafe, and buddy programs are completely run by volunteers. Volunteers truly do make a difference!

Dixie Winn volunteering at the Arcade Café

I had the opportunity to interview several older adults about the personal reward of volunteering. They responded that it’s fun, rewarding, and work. Dixie Winn and Cris Fister are both long-standing volunteers at the Arcade Café. Winn said, “It just makes a person feel better to be doing something rather than sitting around watching TV. I like to talk to people…it’s amazing how many people I meet who I knew years before and it’s nice.” Fister, a retired US Postal worker, volunteers 16 hours a week in the café had this to say,

“The best part of working in the café is we get to see everyone. It’s nothing like I did for work before. It’s a lot like what I did as a kid working in the grocery store for my dad.”

Both ladies commented that staying active volunteering helps to keep them healthy, both physically and mentally.

It’s convenient to volunteer at Ridgecrest because it’s all right here, but there is not a shortage of volunteer opportunities all over the Quad Cities: United Way, Riverbend Foodbank, CASI, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and area churches to name a few. Local hospitals are also always in need of good volunteers.

I tell my husband I can never retire because I love the work, the engagement, and the sense of purpose that comes with working full time. That said, I know there will eventually come a day when I’ll need to shift from formal work to volunteering and I’m thankful there will always be plenty of opportunities to give back. The added benefits of increased physical health and overall well-being are just a plus.

Julie Arndt, is a licensed social worker and Director of Marketing at Ridgecrest Village with over 30 years’ experience working in the field of geriatrics and senior advocacy. She can be reached at jarndt@ridgecrestvillage.org.