Planning to Live to 100 Volunteer Advocacy

Planning to Live to 100 Volunteer

Gallery Stock The CDC found states with a high volunteer rate have lower incidences of heart disease. In science labs all over the world, researchers are exploring ways to delay the effects of aging and extend our years of healthy life. Already, we’re living nearly three decades longer on average than our ancestors from a century ago. A 10-year-old child today has a 50 percent chance of living to be at least 104. If you’re wondering what you — or your 10-year-old — might do with all that extra time on Earth, I have an idea. Volunteer. Share your skills and your passion with others. Find a need and devote your time to filling it. It’s the closest thing to a silver bullet we have discovered for personal and societal . Most of us who have volunteered know the positive jolt of what’s been called “giver’s high.” But the benefits of contributing your talents to others go way beyond that transitory buzz. The obvious payoff is the social good done: A littered block becomes an urban garden, the hungry are fed, or social isolation is eased, among countless other examples.

Tell Us What You Think

Write to Eric J. Schneidewind at AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049, or email . Donating one’s time to benefit others has deep individual value as well. A growing body of research tells us that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates and less depression, along with a greater sense of control over one’s life and higher rates of . Using health and volunteering data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one report found that states with a high volunteer rate even have lower incidences of heart disease. Some studies showed that volunteers who devote about 100 hours or more per year to volunteer activities are the most likely to experience health benefits. Findings indicate that — in general — the older the volunteer, the greater the of volunteering. I know from my own experience that many of us lose our sense of purpose as we transition out of a career or end our role as caregiver to a spouse or family member. Volunteering can renew that sense of purpose and prevent the social isolation that is a recognized health hazard of our later years. I think you will find AARP is an excellent place to begin exploring your own volunteer journey. See for more information and resources. Eric J. Schneidewind, President of AARP.

More on Volunteering

READ: WATCH: Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.