Why Should You Volunteer At a Senior Living Community?

Why Should You Volunteer At a Senior Living Community?

From children to senior adults, volunteering is beneficial for everyone. Being a volunteer is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Feelings of pride, accomplishment, and satisfaction are just a few of the worthwhile reasons to dedicate time in service to others. Becoming a volunteer at a senior living community is a great way for anyone who has the time, from teenagers to retired adults, to make a difference in someone’s life and give back to their community.

Volunteers play a big role in helping adults in assisted living facilities with activities and outings, or in weekly community service projects. These communities are a great place to volunteer if you have a special interest in older people. You can gain a lot from their wisdom and generosity.

If you think you may be interested in volunteering but aren’t sure that you are ready to make the commitment, holidays and special events are a good time to try it out. During these times, extra help is always in high demand and offers a good opportunity to see if you like it.

Reasons to Volunteer
Volunteering not only provides benefits to the residents in an assisted living facility, it also provides a lot of benefits to the volunteer as well. Some of those benefits include:

– Gaining career experience

When volunteering in an assisted living community, you gain several workplace-relevant skills like assisting with fundraising activities, organizational skills, and coordinating daily activities. For teens and young adults, spending time volunteering with seniors is a great way to see if they are interested in pursuing a career in senior care.

– Expanding horizons
Senior adults have spent a lifetime building experiences and wisdom, and have so much to share. Spending time with seniors gives us the opportunity to gain knowledge from them and gives us a new perspective on aging. Seniors love to share their stories, which also helps to keep their memories sharp, so it’s a win-win for everyone.

– Making new friends
Regardless of age, many volunteers develop meaningful, long-term relationships with seniors. Rather than seeing them only as a volunteering obligation, they view them as true friends. Seniors and volunteers alike are fulfilled through these friendships. As an added bonus, multiple studies have shown that genuine social interactions lower the risk of anxiety and depression and improve brain function.

– Improving health

Volunteering is good for you! Research suggests that people who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who don’t. It is possible that volunteers live longer because of the physical, mental and social benefits of lending a helping hand. One such study states that people who volunteer at least 100 hours a year are some of the healthiest people in the United States.

Conclusion
If you are looking for ways to contribute to your community in a way that benefits society as a whole, volunteering your time and skills in an assisted living community does just that. While you may be unsure if the skills you have are the right fit for volunteering with seniors, the truth is that senior communities are always in need of extra hands and all abilities.

At Terrace Ridge, we firmly believe that outstanding people are the key to our success. Each and every role here at Terrace Ride is important to the success of our business goal to enhance the lives of our residents. If you are interested in volunteering or becoming a member of our team, please stop by and fill out an application.