I want to thank everyone who volunteered this year to help with our “Be a Santa to a Senior” Program. More than 500 gifts were distributed through the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center, the Antelope Valley Committee on Aging and the Partners in Care Foundation, thanks to the generosity of people in our community who wanted neglected and ailing seniors to feel the warmth and love of the holiday season.
For one father, it was a way of providing his children with insight into the lives of those in need, regardless of age. And his children, with their earnings from collecting recycled goods, blessed a dozen seniors with their compassion and friendship.
Many of our volunteers were seniors themselves. In fact, one of them, age 74, is a caregiver on my roster. She’s as active and involved as anyone in the community, which leads me to my New Year’s wish for all seniors.
I wish you the longest and healthiest of lives, with a world of interests and activities that bring you joy and excitement. I know when you have health issues it’s not always easy. But reaching out, helping others, and focusing more on the world than yourself might just be a solution to some of your problems.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered a remarkable link between volunteer work and longevity. They found that those who volunteered at least 40 hours each year to a single cause were 40 percent more likely than non-volunteers to be alive at the end of study.
Of course, seniors who volunteer do more than help themselves. Their experience, expertise and attitude make them valuable members of many organizations. And, demand for older volunteers is increasing dramatically. Some ideas on where to begin:
• www.Volunteermatch.org , 415-241-6872, you can search volunteer opportunities by zip code and interests, it’s easy.
• Administration on Aging, www.aoa.gov , click on Elders and Families and look for volunteer opportunities, 202-619-0724. Volunteer activities include delivering meals to the homebound, escorting frail seniors to needed services, repairing homes of low-income and frail seniors and assisting at senior centers.
• Senior Corps, 800-424-8867, The corps runs a foster grandparent program that helps children with special needs, a senior companion program to help at-risk seniors live independently and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) that provides many different services.
Berkeley psychologist Bruce Linton calls the move toward increased volunteerism by seniors a natural, “By volunteering and helping others, we’re able to enjoy the greatest of all human pleasures: caring for others and being cared about.”
For more information call us at Home Instead Senior Care, please call 661-254-8701.