A new study reported at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society provides additional evidence that volunteering may add years to the life of an older person. Researchers noted that volunteering reduced the chances of dying during the four-year period studied. According to a Reuters article, the researchers poists that volunteering “may improve health outcomes by expanding retirees’ social networks, increasing their access to resources and improving their sense of self-worth.”
The study – lead by Dr. Sei J. Lee and colleagues from the VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco-examined more than 6,000 retirees with an average age of 78. “Even after adjusting for numerous factors that could influence the results, such as the seniors’ socioeconomic status, chronic illnesses, and functional limitations, volunteering remained strongly correlated with lower death rates,” the article explained. It’s just more proof that volunteering can add years to your life and life to your years!
