Volunteering Contributes to Wellbeing

Volunteering After 55: Helping People Find Purpose, Connection, and a Good Fit

Professionals who serve older adults are often connected to many resources to help their clients – a network of other professionals offering a wide range of services. When we create these trust and referral networks, we are creating a resource that not only helps businesses thrive; it also benefits the clients.

Our referral networks often help people receive support. Have you ever thought about connecting the people we serve with ways to contribute?

This week, the Office on Aging hosted a Volunteer Fair and i had the privilege of attending on behalf of The STEM Gift Drive. The purpose of the event was to provide older adults an opportunity to learn about opportunities to volunteer. The keynote speaker, Sharon Smith of Volunteers for Community Impact, spoke about the benefits of volunteering. She inspired me to think more deeply about how we, as professionals who serve older adults, might incorporate volunteerism in our service toolkits.

Let’s talk about this a little deeper here – why we might suggest volunteering, how we might find volunteer activities, and what would make that experience worthwhile for them.

Why the conversation matters

People volunteer for many reasons. They may want to meet others, use skills built over a lifetime, learn something new, support a cause, or help a younger generation. A person who recently retired may miss being part of a team. Someone else may be looking for a flexible way to contribute while managing work or caregiving. The opportunity to feel useful and connected matters at any age.

We all know that volunteers power organizations that otherwise wouldn’t be able to offer needed services in the community, filling service gaps, bringing people together to solve challenges in the community, and supporting local nonprofits. According to the US Census Bureau, more than 75 million people in the US donate 66 to 70 hours per year (US Census Bureau). These don’t even include informal help – like helping neighbors – which more than half of Americans report doing. Read more at VolunteerHub.

Sharon cited research that suggests health benefits for the people who volunteer. A 1999 study of 1,972 older Californians found that people who volunteered with at least two organizations had a 44% lower mortality rate during the study period than nonvolunteers. A 2020 longitudinal study of adults over 50 found that people who volunteered at least 100 hours per year—roughly two hours a week—had lower mortality risk and fewer physical functioning limitations than nonvolunteers. They also reported greater purpose and optimism, and fewer depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness. While volunteering isn’t a cure-all, it can make a difference for the person who serves.

Knowing and valuing the experience, judgment, interests, and skills that they bring to the table will also help us, as individuals and as a society, avoid reducing older adults to recipients of services.

So if we are helping a client who expresses interest in volunteering, what do we need to know?

Start with the person, then look for the role

When helping someone explore options, i would ask some questions first – as Sharon also suggested – to give some direction about what kind of volunteer opportunities to explore. For example:

• What do you enjoy, care about, or want to learn? Someone may love animals, books, gardens, children, food, science, or simply spending time with another person.
• What kind of interaction do you want? Some people want an ongoing relationship, such as mentoring or companionship. Others prefer a project with a clear beginning and end, or work behind the scenes.
• What commitment feels comfortable? Ask about frequency, hours, physical demands, and whether they want to try a single shift before committing.
• What would make the role accessible? Travel distance, parking, transportation, seating, hearing access, and remote options can all affect whether an opportunity actually works.
• What values or boundaries matter to you? What type of organizations might align with the person’s values, culture, religion, or other considerations?

These questions turn “You should volunteer” into “Let’s find something that feels like you.”

There is a wide range of work to consider: food banks, animal shelters, youth mentoring, literacy, companionship, hospice programs, environmental projects, community events, advocacy, and nonprofit boards. Someone with professional experience might prefer a short virtual project. Someone who wants more social contact might enjoy a regular team shift. The best match is one the person finds meaningful and can sustain on their own terms.

Helping them assess the opportunity

Finding an opening is only the first step. Time is a valuable donation, and volunteers deserve enough information to decide whether an organization is a good steward of it. If you’re helping someone look for volunteer opportunities, encourage them to ask:

• What will I actually do, and who will supervise or support me?
• What orientation, training, screening, or safety procedures are involved?
• What costs, if any, will I be expected to cover?
• Who benefits from this work, and how will I learn whether it helped?
• Can I try a shift or change roles if the fit is not right?

Clear answers, a named contact, appropriate training, and follow-up are encouraging signs. An unexplained fee, pressure to decide immediately, unclear duties, or vague answers about the mission deserve a closer look. Some legitimate roles require screening or have associated costs; the organization should be able to explain why.

It’s important to make sure you are serving a legitimate organization. The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search shows federal tax-exempt status and available filings. In Florida, Check-A-Charity provides information organizations report to the state. Some organizations are exempt from registration requirements, and community groups or public agencies can offer worthwhile opportunities without being 501(c)(3) charities. A database result is one piece of the picture; a direct conversation about the work and its finances matters, too. The risk of charity scams is real – just like romance scams and other ways bad actors prey on kind, trusting people. Simple steps to verify legitimacy is an important protective step we should all take.

Give people a few places to begin

There are websites and organizations that specialize in connecting volunteers to opportunities. In the Central Florida area (Orange, Osceola, Seminole counties) there are more than 15,000 registered nonprofit organizations according to Cause IQ . With so many options, the first step to volunteering can seem overwhelming.

Below are some good starting points, not intended as endorsements of the sites or listings, but as a resource library for you. Diligent vetting of opportunities will help ensure better experiences and safety. And remember, if the first choice isn’t the best fit, there are other options.

Here are a few places to start:

• Volunteers for Community Impact offers opportunities in Central Florida, including roles with children and older adults. Ask about the eligibility and time commitment for each program.
• Idealist lists local and virtual roles. VolunteerMatch is now part of Idealist.
• JustServe posts local volunteer opportunities.
• AARP hosts a Create the Good program for its members to find opportunities to volunteer.
• Points of Light offers a national search and connections to local HandsOn affiliates.
• United Way can help people connect with opportunities through a local chapter.
• AmeriCorps and Volunteer.gov offer additional searches; Catchafire focuses on flexible projects that use professional skills.
• You can also use sources like Charity Navigator, Great Nonprofits, Candid / Guidestar, and Propublica to help find and research charities.
• If you’re looking for something that aligns with a particular community, you might start with affinity Chambers of Commerce, like The Pride Chamber or the African American Chamber. Their member non-profits may have volunteer opportunities that appeal to you.
• The best lead may also be close to home: a library, school, food bank, neighborhood group, animal shelter, or organization the person already knows or trusts.

Sharon’s presentation was a good reminder that volunteering can serve both a community and the person who chooses to participate. For those of us working with older adults, our role is to listen, open doors, and help people make informed choices about where to invest their time. One thoughtful introduction may lead to new friendships, renewed purpose, and work that truly matters.

For more on the many reasons people choose to help, see my Biggest List of Humanist Inspirations to Volunteer.