If you’ve ever wondered about the intrinsic value of Arizona senior living volunteer work, recent reports and statistics continue to reinforce the many benefits of giving back to the community. At any age, volunteering and mentoring can have a profound impact on both volunteers and those they serve.
For those in Arizona senior living communities, volunteering and mentoring can help create a balanced life. Successful aging references cite several aspects for fulfilling overall balance including physical fitness, intellectual enrichment, and socialization. If you’ve ever considered giving back, you may choose to do so for a variety of reasons such as making new friends, discovering your local community, learning new skills or sharing your talents. No matter what your reason, sharing your time and talents can be a great way to promote successful aging.
In fact, in a recent report, the International Council on Active Aging found that people over the age of 55 who volunteered to assist school children with reading and classroom activities improved their brain function after just four months.
And giving back to the community also has physical benefits. At the beginning of the study, both the control group and the group that volunteered participated in little to no exercise. But after three years, the women who tutored burned about twice as many calories as the non-volunteers. This type of interactive volunteer opportunity benefits children as well as the older volunteers, showing the potential impacts of “inter-generational social contact.”
Here at our Sun Health Arizona Senior Living communities, we work hard to embrace this concept by offering several programs designed to enhance the lives of our residents. Many of our active adults offer tutoring and training for staff and other members of the community who want to enhance their English speaking skills, prepare for citizenship tests and study for General Educational Development tests. This direct support provides a great opportunity to develop relationships between staff and residents as well as support a growing need in the West Valley.
Volunteering can be a significant way to invest in a purposeful mission, share your time and talents, and directly impact someone’s life (maybe even your own). To learn more about volunteer opportunities within Sun Health, go to our Volunteers in Philanthropy website.
