One of the best things older adults can do for their social health is volunteer if they’re able to do so in their community. I’ve covered this a little before, but I haven’t talked about it specifically in a while. I will be focusing on more involved activities, for older adults with limited mobility I might make a seperate post. Let me know down below if you’d like to see that.
Schools
Volunteering at schools can be a great option for older adults because you can usually volunteer in the air conditioning, and around your family if you have grandkids in school. Volunteering with kids can be really fulfilling for older adults for fairly obvious reasons. Depending on what you do, it doesn’t have to be labor intensive either, if that’s a concern for someone.
Museums
This also applies to zoos and aquariums, but non-profits like museums can be a great place to volunteer. Pick a place that you like or that covers a topic that you love and you can have a lot of fun. Again, a lot of these places are inside which is something that may entice older adults to volunteer.
Local Events
Local events can be another great opportunity for volunteering. Louisville has a lot of great farmer markets, for example, as well different outside events that are popular in the fall. These can be great if you have a lot of time on the weekends, and you can help at either one-time events or recurring ones.
These recommendations may not be great for older adults with limited stamina and mobility, so I will address that in a seperate post. Volunteering can be so important for getting older adults involved in their communities.
Written by Brigid Coffey
