CL-Nov/Dec_2024 - 21

SPOTLIGHT
Staying
Relevant
Identifying volunteer
opportunities for older adults
story courtesy of Family Features
T
om Th ousand spent many years
helping low-income residents
with home repairs. Aſt er
retirement, he knew he wanted to
continue helping people in his free time.
He answered the call to serve through
AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP.
Since 2010, he has volunteered
to deliver meals to those in need,
transported donated food to food
pantries, and captained boats on a
nearby lake for group trips. Th ousand
was there when his neighbors needed
rides to medical appointments and
the Red Cross needed help delivering
blood in his community.
All across the country, AmeriCorps
Seniors connects people aged 55 and
older with opportunities to volunteer
in their communities. Th e program
matches each volunteer's interests and
skills with local nonprofi t organizations.
More than 140,000 older Americans
serve their communities yearly through
three core programs - the RSVP
Program, the Foster Grandparent
Program and the Senior Companion
Program.
" Since it was established in 1971,
our RSVP program has been one of the
nation's largest older adult volunteer
programs, " says Atalaya Sergi, national
director of AmeriCorps Seniors. " Th e
program has a wide variety of service
opportunities that allow volunteers to
help address our nation's most pressing
challenges. For our volunteers, RSVP
takes the guesswork out of choosing
how and where to volunteer their time
and energy. "
co-opliving.com
Keeping active and staying relevant are important for older Americans.
Opportunities vary by city and
state, but the RSVP program off ers
volunteers diverse ways to serve
through local organizations. Examples
include packaging meals for people
with disabilities or other older adults,
working in a call center for fraud victims,
and coordinating poetry workshops
at a community center to stimulate
the minds of those participating or
transporting cancer patients to medical
appointments. Service could also involve
workforce development and job training
or providing disaster preparedness
assistance.
Th ere are even select programs
specifi cally designed to support veterans.
Mark Piscatelli volunteers at veterans'
coff eehouses. Coordinated through
his local AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP
program, the coff eehouses allow veterans
to gather and socialize with each other
and with volunteers. Th e social setting
creates a safe space, fostering community
and stability for everyone involved.
Guest speakers frequently visit and
provide new and updated information
to attendees on local and national
veterans' services.
" AmeriCorps Seniors has created
a wonderful opportunity for me to
learn about veterans, veterans' issues,
what they've experienced, what they
currently experience, and what some
of their concerns are going forward, "
Piscatelli says.
David Langlois, a fellow volunteer,
concurs. " I really think that the bottom
line is to support our veterans, " he
says. Volunteering is more than a way
to fi ll time, however. Research from
sources such as the National Institute
on Aging suggests that older adults who
are engaged in social and community
activities maintain mental and physical
health longer than those who are not.
" Aſt er one year of service, 88% of
our volunteers reported a decrease in
feelings of isolation, " Sergi says. " Plus,
78% of volunteers felt less depressed.
Th at upliſt s spirits and signifi cantly
impacts and benefi ts people's lives. "
Volunteers like Th ousand, Piscatelli
and Langlois support people in need
and strengthen their communities and
neighborhoods. If you're 55 or older
and looking for the right volunteer
opportunity, visit americorps.gov/
yourmoment to explore opportunities
near you.
*
November-December 2024 * Cooperative Living * 19
PHOTO COURTESY FAMILY FEATURES
http://www.americorps.gov/ http://www.co-opliving.com
CL-Nov/Dec_2024

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