Being elderly is a gift. It means you have been blessed with many years of experiences, which you can share with others by volunteering. There are several places you can volunteer at such as a soup kitchen, group home, at a homeless shelter or animal shelter, or whatever place in your local area is in need of volunteer help. You could even volunteer your time to baby sit free or drive people places that do not have the transportation to do so. You could also provide free piano lessons or art lesson or whatever it is you feel you can offer for free that would make a difference in someone else’s life. The benefits you provide to those in need are endless, but the ones you receive back are endless too.

Volunteering Provides a Sense of Purpose

Sometimes as we get older we feel like there is no purpose for us in the world because we are slower and not as physically strong, but the truth is you do have a purpose and volunteering can help provide you with a sense of purpose. In fact, your purpose will be making a difference in other people’s life by sharing your many years of wisdom and experiences to help others grow and become as wise as you or wiser. Anytime you help another person succeed in life with your volunteering, wisdom and by sharing your stories on life, you too will not only feel a sense of purpose but a sense of accomplishment.

Volunteering Helps Strengthen Social Ties

As we get older we tend to watch the ones we love die away, which sometimes leaves the feelings of being lonely, but volunteering can help you socialize and interact with people of all ages so you are not as lonely. In fact, you will feel love, self-worth and a sense of trust again, which will give you more purpose to keep healthy and live many more years so you can keep sharing your old wise wisdom with the world.

Volunteering Eliminates Physical and Mental Stresses

Sometimes depending on the volunteering work, you provide you will be helping eliminate stress from someone else’s life as well as your own. This is especially truth if the person you are providing volunteering services too connects with you well and is able to talk about anything and everything with you as you would with them.