The holiday season is a great time for seniors to express gratitude and focus on helping others and sharing joy. Giving back is a meaningful way seniors can stay connected to their loved ones and communities. Volunteering is also a good way to find purpose and direction in life after retirement. You might be surprised to find that giving back and volunteering with those in need makes the holidays even more fun and joyful! Here are a few of the many benefits of giving back, and some great holiday volunteer opportunities for seniors.
Why Give Back? The Benefits of Volunteering
Volunteering has many benefits for seniors. Some benefits include better mental and physical health, as well as just plain fun! Many seniors find that volunteering with less fortunate people or those in need gives them a feeling of fulfillment that makes their lives feel more purposeful and meaningful. Sometimes when seniors retire, they feel a loss of a sense of purpose or meaning. Being “empty nesters,” and having completed most of their responsibilities as parents, can really add to this “lost” feeling that many retirees and empty nesters experience. Volunteering is a good way to fill this void and continue to help younger generations, even when your children are grown.
The holiday season can also be a lonely time in many seniors’ lives, especially those living alone and far from family and friends. Giving back can boost your mood and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which actually has major benefits for your mental and physical health (source)! Local volunteer organizations can also help you find new community ties or strengthen old relationships, giving you a stronger support system and opportunities to meet new people. Finally, helping others can give you a chance to develop new skills, or teach and practice skills you’ve spent a lifetime developing. For example, you could teach things like baking, woodworking, quilting, or other skills you’ve had a lifetime to master.
Local Holiday Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors
Clearly, volunteering has many benefits, particularly during the holiday season. But it can be difficult to find opportunities, or difficult to choose from the multitude of options. Here are some good local holiday volunteer options that may help you in your search.
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Food Drives and Pantries.
Many schools, churches, and other organizations host canned or packaged food drives to donate to food banks for homeless people or those in need. You can help in these efforts by advertising for the food drive, assisting in inventory, or distributing the food items. Feeding America is a nationwide organization that helps organize food drives and food banks. You can find and volunteer at your local branch here.
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Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is another great organization that helps bring food to those in need–often seniors with mobility challenges who rely on this service. Sign up to be one of those who delivers a hot meal to a senior in need here.
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Local animal shelters.
If you’re a senior who prefers working with animals to people, your local animal shelter is a great place to start. Many shelters have volunteers who help feed, groom, and exercise the animals in their care. If you are able to care for pets, you can even volunteer to foster animals until they find their permanent homes. Contact local animal shelters to see if they need help, or volunteer with your local branch of the Humane Society of the United States.
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Santa letters, gifts, or toy drives.
Along with food drives, many communities organize letters to Santa programs, or gift or toy drives. Participating in these drives is a great way to remember the reason for the season, and celebrate a time of giving back. Local schools or community centers may be able to direct you on how to help. Or, you can volunteer with the USPS Operation Santa program.
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Create your own way to serve!
If you haven’t found the right opportunity to give back, why not create your own opportunity? Use your local connections to organize a food drive, toy drive, or answer letters to Santa. You could also create handmade cards or special gifts for your loved ones, or for those in need at local women’s and children’s shelters.
Choosing the Right Way to Serve
It’s important to choose a volunteer opportunity that suits your level of time commitment, health, skills, and personality. Find something that you will enjoy doing, and that will connect you with others who share your values and interests. This will ensure a great experience for everyone, and might even help you make some new friends. We recommend finding a volunteer position within your community and close to home, to make travel easier in winter weather. You should also consider how much time you have to give, and any physical or health limitations that may limit your ability to serve.
For example, if you have a chronic health condition that affects your immune system, it’s probably not a good idea to volunteer directly with young children. School-aged children carry many illnesses, and may compromise your health. Instead, volunteer in a way that protects your health, like answering letters to Santa from home. Those with mobility limitations may not find that being a volunteer dog walker is a good fit. But even if your time or physical abilities are limited, don’t despair. Everyone has something to give, and there’s a way to give back for everyone!
Ways to Volunteer From Home
For many seniors, volunteer opportunities that can be done from home may be the best fit. You won’t have to worry about exposure to illness or traveling in the winter, or the expenses that can come with working outside the home. There are lots of ways to volunteer from home, including:
- The aforementioned USPS Operation Santa can be done from the comfort of your home.
- Use Volunteer Match to find a virtual volunteer opportunity that still benefits your local community.
- Volunteer via text with the Crisis Text Line.
- Help Syrian refugees learn English with Paper Airplanes.
While these virtual opportunities may be the best option for some seniors, we recommend volunteering in person if you are able. Face to face social interaction is the best way to prevent depression and loneliness, and the “holiday blues” some seniors may experience.
Giving back is a great way to experience more joy and meaning this holiday season. Stellar Living hopes these holiday volunteer opportunities for seniors make your days a little brighter.
