- As seniors age, it's common to feel a disconnection from society or limited contact from family and peers. Seniors may also feel a sense of worthlessness if they aren't contributing to society due to retirement or job loss, making them feel isolated from a social system.
Serviceleader.org concludes that volunteers can make a difference in the lives of socially deprived elders. Volunteers target the needs of assigned seniors citizens by providing comfort, support and making them feel their issues and concerns matter. As Dr. Anja Machielse of Utrecht University in The Netherlands wrote in 2006, volunteers provide a senior citizen with a personal network she can count on that's valuable to her identity and self-respect. - Less-active senior citizens may have to cope with a disability causing limited mobility, living in a localized living in-care facility or have transportation restrictions. These restrictions may leave seniors feeling a loss of independence or a sense of isolation if unable to participate in social activities or receive social and health services due to limited mobility.
Volunteers can target a senior citizen's specific physical needs by finding a way for him to get out more, giving him an opportunity to be a part of social network and become an active participant in basic daily living routine. Sedentary elders who become more active with the help of a volunteer can increase physical stamina and strength simply by having an opportunity to be more mobile. - Depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease are among various mental conditions caused by social isolation and limited access to health care. One benefit that a senior citizen receives from a short- or long-term volunteer is the ability to communicate a health concern to a volunteer they trust. Moreover, a long-term volunteer may recognize a mental health issue and report the concern so the senior citizen can receive care sooner.
Emotional bonds may develop if the elder feels she can confide in the volunteer. Placing a level of trust in the volunteer may help reduce the onset of mental ailments that result from lack of emotional support, according to the Right At Home Organization. According to its 2002 social survey, the organization showed a 91 percent decrease in men and women over the age of 65 in physical and mental health problems once a supportive person responded to their mental needs. - Volunteers provide companionship and a sense of feeling cared for, putting to ease any anxieties seniors have. According to World Health Study, research shows that social isolation and feelings of loneliness cause greater levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Senior citizens may feel less lonely and develop an accepting attitude towards the aging process, when comforted by a volunteer.
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