Many seniors and those of retirement age become bored after awhile. They may have health problems which keep them isolated or may not know many people in their own community. Staying active and in touch with what is going on in their own area keeps them from becoming depressed and gives them something to look forward to each day.
What are some of the ways that seniors stay active in their community?
- For those who are still able to get out and about, volunteering is one of the ways seniors stay in touch with their communities. Try your local library, hospital or food bank.
- If you are not able to get out or don’t want to, become involved via social media. This gives you the opportunity to help with many things in your community such as political groups, health and welfare and a host of others. Look up your community online and find out what you can do from your home.
- Almost every town and city has a senior center of some type. They are always looking for volunteers and have activities each day. You can join your local centre and learn a variety of things and/or you can help out with day programs and ongoing activities such as fundraisers and teas.
- If you are housebound, there are ways to bring the community to you. One example is in-home care, in home companions or meal deliveries all help provide regular contact with the outside world. Then there is connecting with others via the phone, email, skype, facetime etc.
- Where you live does matter. Some communities are just more senior friendly than others. For those who live in such a community, staying involved and connected is much easier as the area is made for those walking, bicycling and mingling. If your community is not senior friendly, see what you can do to help make it so or join a community group online and get involved.
There are a variety of ways seniors can reach out to their communities, whether in person, online or by phone. For each of us, it will be different. Whichever way you become involved, it will always be a bonus for your health while helping out the community.
