Volunteering in Retirement

In the last two years, I have seen several of my work colleagues enter retirement. Most of them were healthy, active and in good health. The most common question asked of them was what they intended to do next? Well, many began to volunteer. One delivers meals to the elderly; another makes quilts to for hospitalized veterans; and a third traveled to Africa on a medical mission.

The number of volunteers over the age of 65 has steadily increased over the past three decades. In 2008, approximately 23% of this age group engaged in volunteer activities. Retirees today are in good health, living longer and staying active. Many have found volunteering to be the perfect next step. Studies have found that volunteering can help to increase physical function, maintain cognitive function and decrease depressive symptoms of retirees. Many who volunteer report an improved sense of well-being and enhanced life satisfaction.

Senior volunteers are motivated by a desire to help others and create or maintain social relationships, whereas younger volunteers are more likely to volunteer for professional and personal development opportunities. Volunteer organizations, for their part, benefit from the professional expertise, life experience and enthusiasm of these retirees.

But how do you decide which volunteer activity is right for you? The options are endless but can be narrowed down by asking the right questions. What are your passions and interests? Illiteracy, homelessness or the environment? Is there a specific population that interests you? Young children, elderly, or animals? Is there an activity or past-time you have always wanted to do but work and everyday life prevented you from pursuing? Visiting museums, traveling, or gardening. How often and how much time do you want to commit? Weekly, monthly or periodically? Where would you like to volunteer? Local, regional or internationally? When I retire, for instance, I would like to travel to Thailand to work at an elephant sanctuary. The answers to all of these questions will help guide and narrow your search.

If you are still having trouble deciding, there are several organizations that match people with volunteer opportunities. Here is a short list of the several resources:


1) Senior Corps at http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/senior-corps was created during John F. Kennedy’s presidential term, connects seniors with a variety of service opportunities;

2) Volunteer Match at www.volunteermatch.org/ will determine your volunteer preferences then produce a list of possible organizations that might interest you.

3) AARP at http://www.aarp.org/giving-back/ offers a site to assist in choosing volunteer opportunities.


Of course, if there is an organization you already have in mind, feel free contact them directly.

Volunteering can be personally fulfilling and fun. Committing your precious time to others is also a responsibility. The St. Vincent Pallotti Center and Catholic Volunteer Network created a “Questions to Ask Yourself” pamphlet which will help guide you in choosing the perfect volunteer opportunity click here to access the questionnaire.

Deciding to volunteer can be rewarding and, improve health and well-being. It requires some research and commitment to determine the option that is right for you but the best advice I can offer about volunteering is to enjoy yourself!



References
Barron, J. S., Tan, E. J., Yu, Q., Song, M., McGill, S., & Fried, L. P. (2009). Potential for intensive volunteering to promote health of older adults in fair health. The Journal of Urban Health, 86(4), 641-653. doi: 10.007/s11524-009-9353-8

Greenfield, E.A., Marks, N. F. (2004). Formal volunteering as a protective factor for older adults' psychological well-being. The Journals of Gerontology, 59(5), 258-264. Retrieved from http://www.midus.wisc.edu/findings/pdfs/147.pdf

Konrath, S., Fuhrel-Forbis, A., Lou, A., Brown, S. (2012). Motivs for volunteering are associated with mortality risk in older adults. Health Psychology, 31(1), 97-96. doi: 10.1037/a0025226

Martinson, M., Minkler, M. (2006). Civic engagement and older adults: A critical perspective. The Gerontologist, 46(3), 318-324. doi:10.1093/geront/46.3.318

Tang, F., Choi, E., Morrow-Howell, N. (2010). Organizational support and volunteering benefits for older adults. The Gerontologist, 50(5), 603-612. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnq020

Author: Susan Polka RN, BSN, CCRN, is a registered nurse with over twenty years experience in health care. She has worked in long term care, community health, and acute care settings. She currently works as a clinical educator and assistant director of an inpatient nursing unit.

Five Tips to a Retirement Fit to You

Whether retirement looks like beach lounging, golfing till the sun goes down, or volunteering at a local shelter, you have the freedom to do as your heart feels. You can even dramatically reduce your cost of living or improve your quality of life. But you want to make sure to pick a retirement spot that will continue to meet your needs as you age. Here are five tips for finding your ideal retirement spot:

1. Seek lower costs for living. If you can sell your large home house and move to a more easily and cost friendly home, you can use that influx of cash to help fund your retirement years. "If the cost of living is lower, it can certainly let your retirement nest egg last a little longer," says Scott Cole, a certified financial planner for Cole Financial Planning in Birmingham, Ala. "We do see people who had a lot of their investments tied up in their house, and they were able to liquidate that house, net a significant gain and then come and buy a pretty similar house, if not much nicer house, here [in Alabama], and then use the rest of that money for retirement income." Other options include renovating your current home to meet your needs as you age or finding a home that does allow for aging in place.

2. Look for great amenities. Think about how you want to spend your retirement years, and make sure your retirement spot has the resources for you to follow through with those. Look for pools, tennis courts, golf courses, parks, fitness centers, or other activities you would like to take part in. "If you want to be pursuing your education, you might be looking for a college or other learning venues," says Mary Languirand, author of "How to Age in Place: Planning for a Happy, Independent, and Financially Secure Retirement." "If there are travel options you want to pursue, you are going to need to be near an airport or a train station."

3. Health care accessibility is essential. Make sure any community you are considering has adequate medical facilities and doctors that are taking on new patients. If you have any ongoing medical condition, or predisposition for a specific illness that runs in the family, it may be useful to retire near medical professionals who specialize in treating it.

4. Calculate the impact taxes will take. Taxes vary considerably by state or county, and you can often reduce your costs considerably by moving to an area of low-tax. Take a look at state taxes on pensions, Social Security, income tax, property tax, sales tax, and any special tax perks available for senior citizens. However, consider that there may be less help available to senior citizens in low-tax areas so definitely do your research. "There are some services for senior citizens that might actually be better met in a higher-cost community," Languirand says. "In rural areas, it is not unusual to have no public transportation or the special transportation services that people with lower mobility require."

5. If desired, aim to be in close proximity of family and friends. Family and friends can enrich retirement years and provide significant (and often free) help when needed. "If somebody has lived in the same place their whole life and that's where their social network is and where the people they depend on are, then it's much harder to pick up and build a new network of support where you don't know anybody and you have to start from scratch," says Cynthia Conger, president of Conger Wealth Management in Little Rock, Ark. "Rather than being able to depend upon a support network of people you know, you might now have to pay for services that might have been done by people who were friends. You might end up paying more." If you do move to a new community, you will need to create a new circle of friends. "An activity like golf or bridge will get [you] into another social network," Conger says.

Above all, retirement is unique to everyone. If that means going into the office one day a week, traveling around the world, mentoring newbies in your field or laying on a beach without a care, then that is your "retirement".