For retirees, life can be more than just relaxing. Many volunteer opportunities in independent senior living In Portage, IN, allow you to have fun while helping others out. Volunteering can also help you feel like a part of the community and give you something to do when you’re not visiting friends or family members! Volunteering is one of the best ways to stay active and engaged at this stage in life.
Here are some of the top volunteer opportunities for adults in their golden years:
Volunteer To Be A Mentor
Becoming a mentor is one of the most rewarding ways to give back. Mentorship has been shown to impact both mentee and mentor, but it can also benefit other people in your life!
If you have time and love being around young people, this type of volunteering may be perfect for you. The process involves matching older adults with someone who needs guidance or helps to navigate life. You will be matched based on similar interests, personality traits, and other factors that make connecting with the mentee easy.
It’s important to note that mentoring does not mean teaching someone everything about something; instead, it involves sharing what you know about any given topic and some insight into how things work.
Volunteer To Help At An Event
Events are one of the most popular ways for independent senior living communities to unite their residents. They can be anything from holiday parties and social gatherings to fun activities, like arts and crafts days or bingo games. Events provide an opportunity for interaction among people from different generations and an excuse for everyone to get out of their apartments or condos and enjoy some time together outside of the home.
Volunteer To Work In The Garden
Gardening is a great way to get outside and be active. It can also be a great way to meet other people, get fresh air, and relieve stress. If you’re interested in gardening, contact your retirement community so that they can help you find an opportunity with their garden or outdoor space.
Volunteer To Visit The Sick
In addition to volunteering in the community, you can also volunteer your time visiting sick people. This is a great way to help others and escape your house simultaneously. If you have something like this in mind, make sure you do everything right! Visiting someone sick can be stressful for them, so keep that in mind when deciding how much time you want to invest.
Volunteer At A Local Animal Shelter
Volunteering at a local animal shelter is a great way to use your unique skills and experience. You can do so many different things, such as cleaning cages and feeding the animals, walking dogs, socializing cats and kittens, fundraising for the shelter, and transporting animals to other facilities.
Volunteer To Deliver Meals
If you’re an outgoing person who doesn’t mind going on delivery runs, why not take a stab at delivering meals to people who are sick or elderly? Maybe they need someone else to bring them food, or maybe they’ve just been too ill to cook for themselves. This type of volunteer opportunity would be most effective if you live within driving distance of the person(s) who will receive your deliveries and have time available regularly (e.g., once per week).
Conclusion
There are many great ways to volunteer when retiring in independent senior living. The most important thing is that you do something that interests you, so it doesn’t feel like work. Finding a volunteer opportunity that combines your passion with your desire to help others will be even more rewarding!
