Volunteering Keeps Seniors Young and Healthy

8 April 2008 | Linda Burney MP

Volunteering keeps seniors physically and mentally healthier, Linda Burney, NSW Minister for Volunteering said today.

Ms Burney cited research that shows the more hours people volunteer, the greater their sense of wellbeing and, in great news for seniors, this positive effect increases with the age of the volunteer.

"We also know that social contact is one of the best ways to combat loneliness and depression, which is why volunteering is so good for all of us," Ms Burney said.

"Seniors deserve recognition for the huge contribution they make to NSW's volunteer workforce – the ABS census in 2006 showed that almost 30 per cent of the 1.4 million volunteers in NSW are over 55."

Laurie Smith, a volunteer mentor to disadvantaged children for more than 22 years and the 2007 NSW Senior Volunteer of the Year, says that seniors have much to contribute.

"Once you’ve retired, you still need a purpose in life and seniors have a lifetime of experiences they can draw on to contribute to society," Mr Smith said. "They also have the life skills to deal with diverse and challenging volunteering roles."

Les MacDonald, CEO of NSW Meals on Wheels, believes 85 to 90 per cent of all the 35,000 Meals on Wheels volunteers in NSW are over 60.

"Our senior volunteers are the life blood of Meals on Wheels because they excel at social contact and their ability to monitor the wellbeing of the people they visit," Mr MacDonald said.

"We celebrate and acknowledge the wisdom and experience seniors bring to their volunteer roles and their capacity to pass that knowledge on to the young volunteers around them."

Ms Burney encouraged newly retired seniors to think about how they can get involved with their communities.

"Volunteering roles increasingly use people’s professional skills and experience, and this is where seniors can make an incredible contribution to community organisations."

A good starting point for anyone interested in volunteering is to contact the NSW Centre for Volunteering. Visit www.volunteering.com.au or call 02 9261 3600. For those wishing to volunteer their professional skills to a charity or community group, the organisation goodcompany can also help: visit www.goodcompany.com.au.