The 2018 “Silver Volunteerism” study by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) found that seniors who volunteer reported better health and life satisfaction than those who do not. Senior volunteers were 13% more likely to only have minor illnesses or not to fall sick. They were also 8% more likely to be satisfied with life.
Another study of 1,164 adults by Carnegie Mellon University published in the journal of Psychology and Aging found that older adults who had been volunteering at least 200 hours a year showed a 40% lower risk of high blood pressure.
Yet another study published in the Journal of Gerentology in 2004 by researchers (Greenfield and Marks, 2004) from the University of Wisconsin, concluded that formal volunteering improved psychological well-being of older adults.
Volunteering need not be a grand affair which takes months of planning. All you need is to put aside a little time each week or month, and help someone in need. To quote Confucius, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
RSVP’s unique Episodic Volunteering Programme is a great start for those who are new to volunteering or if you have some time (just three hours!) to spare between work projects, travel, family commitments and other life events.
Introduced in 2016, this programme runs almost weekly and allows you to experience bite-sized volunteering activities at different non-profit organisations. You are able to support different causes from food sorting and packing for low income households to park clean-ups to support a greener and more sustainable Singapore.
We are certain you will be able to find something you enjoy volunteering in!
When you retire, it is good to expand beyond just meeting friends and recreational activities. Enrich your life and mind with activities. When you volunteer, you make use of mental and physical capabilities. You feel happy doing something for someone.
Sign up with RSVP Singapore and start your volunteering journey with us today:
https://rsvp.org.sg/sign-up
For more information, contact Ms Chris Toh at christoh@rsvp.org.sg or 6485 6118.
Proudly presented by RSVP, Singapore
Other additional reading:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-21685-006
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3804225/
¹ Referenced from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/volunteering-blood-pressure-hypertension-heart-health_n_3435849. View the journal here: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pag/index
² Referenced from https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/59/5/S258/669124
Exclusive for MyWay clients: Find out more about RSVP Singapore at our upcoming MyWay events in 2020. Speak to your Relationship Manager if you are keen to participate.
