3205 W Skippack Pike
Lansdale, PA 19446

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(484) 998.4444

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RESOURCES

Creating Connections by Enhancing Active Aging Through Volunteering

Creating Connections by Enhancing Active Aging Through Volunteering

Creating Connections by Enhancing Active Aging Through Volunteering

A sense of purpose. A motivating force. Someone or something that brings fulfillment and meaning to life.

The Japanese call it ikigai. At Meadowood, it’s an important part of Meadowell active senior living — the complete you, in all your dimensions.

One dimension that contributes greatly to living a fulfilling life is the vocational dimension. In addition to our jobs, this means contributing to something beyond ourselves, finding meaning in serving others. It means using our time and talents for an effort that makes a difference through senior volunteer opportunities in our community.

And one of the ways to bring life to that part of the vocational dimension is volunteerism.

For many of us, our careers have been a huge part of defining who we are. So, when we retire, we tend to look at this aspect of ourselves as who we “were.” Volunteerism can turn that thought upside down.

Health, wellness, and community service go hand in hand. Finding a renewed sense of purpose, whether in your professional field of expertise or with something completely new, can bring heaps of benefits — from better physical health and mental acuity to the release of those feel-good chemicals, dopamine and endorphins.

It can also bring a renewed sense of purpose, the satisfaction of giving back to your community, and a way to pass on the knowledge you’ve gained through a rich and varied lifetime.

The beneficiary of your volunteer efforts will reap the rewards, as well. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly website, a recent study finds that “seniors bring a potent set of advantages with them into the volunteer workforce of an organization.”

The research found that life experiences, useful skills, and “an in-depth knowledge of organizational background, history or culture” to be an advantage. The authors of the study encourage organizations to proactively design volunteer programs that can take advantage of this growing segment of society, considering that the number of Americans older than 65 has risen significantly over the last few decades, to 56 million. Within 40 years, that number is projected to rise to 94.7 million.

We have a robust volunteer program at Meadowood, with about 45 of our residential living residents working regularly in personal care and skilled care to assist those residing in our Health Center.

“Our residents seek human connection, and volunteer visits are an integral part of the life enrichment program,” says Director of Life Enrichment Tracy Mullarkey. “They offer one-to-one visits, as social interaction is so valuable. They come to pass out water, sit with someone who needs a friend, bring their dog to brighten someone’s day, deliver mail, or sit with Health Center residents during lunch to help along conversation. Other volunteers like to get involved with the programming and will lead men’s club, Bible study, sing-alongs, or will play music for our residents.”

Volunteer opportunities abound in other areas here, as well. We recently held our annual fall event, Flügel Fest, and the volunteer sign-up board quickly boasted dozens of names filling slots to hand out food tickets, deliver meals to residents and employees who were unable to make the lunch festivities, escorting those in wheelchairs to a concert, and organizing games and sporting events, among other things.

Newly minted Meadwood Resident Association President Maureen O’Connor says, “Volunteering at Meadowood is a powerful force that strengthens social connections and benefits our community. We live happier, longer, and more productive lives when we participate in helping our neighbors and our community thrive. I became involved in volunteerism at Meadowood because I want to support the legacy of community spirit, compassion, and commitment to our community.”

Throughout the year, more than 175 residents serve to help shape life here on our campus through more than 50 clubs and committees. For example, there are committees that partner with the administration to decide on issues related to architecture, food and dining, decorating, woods and trails, and our many social, educational, and intellectual events.

Says retired architect and Meadowood resident Erich Burkhard, “Meadowood is an opportunity to participate in a community, doing what you have always done or to ‘change things up.’  You can choose to use your professional expertise and experience to have input on the day-to-day operations and a vision of what Meadowood is to become. It is probably the only ‘stationary cruise ship’ where you can participate charting its course.” 

Many of our residents volunteer off-campus as well. Their work includes, to name just a few things, serving as a docent in an art museum, maintaining the websites services for an animal rescue organization, reading to children at the library, helping out at Red Cross blood drives, manning the polls during voting, and serving as mentors for students, institutes of higher education, and businesses.

Possibilities and promise exist everywhere. If you don’t know where to start, try somewhere close to home. A community food bank, local schools or churches, the library, or civic organizations can be the ticket for local volunteer opportunities. You can also check out national nonprofit organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, Habitat for Humanity, or AmeriCorp Seniors to find leads about ways to volunteer.

As our Meadowood residents know, whatever talents, skills, and time you have to offer are greatly appreciated. And you may just find your ikigai in return.