Resident Volunteers May Live Longer

Yet another best practice for enhancing your residents’ quality of life: Help get them involved in volunteer work. Not only will it make them feel valued and productive; it may help them live longer.

According to a study by the American Geriatric Society, older adults who volunteer had less than half the risk of dying compared to their non-volunteering peers. The study included 6,360 retired people over 65; the average participant was 78. Researchers note that findings are preliminary and that research is ongoing.

“People who are socially engaged will have a better quality of life and better survival,” Dr. Gary Kennedy, a geriatric psychiatrist, told Business Week magazine. “This study is a good way of using science to reinforce what’s good common sense. Volunteering is a good thing to do, and lo and behold, it’s good for you, too.”