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Healing Power Of
Helping
By
Joan E. Thompson |
Plymouth
- People who volunteer seek to help
others. They may not be aware just how much they are
helping themselves. A recent study by the Corporation for
National & Community Service has found a significant
connection between volunteering and good health. The report
shows that volunteers have greater longevity, higher
functional ability, lower rates of depression and less
incidence of heart disease.
The full report, The Health
Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research,
is available
from www.nationalservice.gov. It documents major findings
from more than 30 rigorous and longitudinal studies that
reviewed the relationship between health and volunteering,
with particular emphasis on studies that seek to determine
the causal connection between the two factors. The studies,
which were controlled for other factors, found that
volunteering leads to improved physical and mental health.
The research suggests that volunteering is particularly
beneficial to the health of older adults and those serving
100 hours annually. According to the report:
• A study of adults age 65 and older found that the positive
effect of volunteering on physical and mental health is due
to the personal sense of accomplishment an individual gains
from his or her volunteer activities.
• Another study found that volunteering led to lower rates
of depression in individuals 65 and older.
• A Duke University study found that individuals who
volunteered after experiencing heart attacks reported
reductions in despair and depression – two factors that have
been linked to mortality in post-coronary artery disease
patients.
• Two studies found that the volunteering threshold is about
100 hours per year, or about two hours per week. Individuals
who reached the threshold enjoyed significant health
benefits, although there were no additional benefits for
serving beyond the 100-hour mark.
While the studies may find no “additional benefits” beyond
the 100-hour mark, I would suggest that the more we seek to
improve the lives of others the better we feel, regardless
the physical effect on our heart or blood pressure. “Try it,
you’ll like it” and you’ll likely feel better, too!
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About The Author
Joan
Thompson is the Executive Director for Mayflower RSVP, Inc.,
a nonprofit organization mobilizing Volunteer Service
Activities in Plymouth County. She has directed RSVP’s
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program for nearly 30 years. She
may be contacted by calling (508) 746-7787 or via email at
MayflowerRSVP@Verizon.net.
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