Find Fulfilling Volunteer Opportunities for a Purpose-Filled Retirement with These 3 Networking Tips

 

As a senior, you may find yourself wondering how to fill up newly freed-up time. Volunteering is a terrific option that allows you to stay productive even as you relax and enjoy the fruits of a life of hard work. You wouldn't be alone, either. Statistics show that 28% of individuals aged 65 and older reported engaging in volunteer activities in 2021. Volunteering allows you to try new things and comes with advantages such as connecting with others. Research also shows that it raises happiness levels. There are many volunteer opportunities out there that cover a wide variety of interests and skills. Here are three networking tips to help you locate the one that best suits you. 

 

1. Connect Over the Internet

The internet is filled with websites that can help you find volunteer opportunities by either providing recommendations or directly connecting you with organizations. For example, VolunteerMatch allows you to search for ones close to your home and then click on listings you are interested in to start getting involved. Job boards are another place you can look, as is your local chamber of commerce. Nonprofits occasionally post on job sites to search for volunteers. For example, by visiting freelance job boards, you may be able to find volunteer work as a translator.

 

Social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are also excellent for finding volunteer opportunities. Post that you are searching for volunteer opportunities and briefly outline your relevant skills, and you will be surprised by the number of people who offer suggestions or reach out to see if you are a good fit for their organization's needs. 

 

If you don't have the time or transportation means for in-person volunteering, virtual volunteering is flexible. Among the available options are Crisis Text Line, Project Gutenberg, Zooniverse, Librivox, and Cards for a Cause. While some may have more stringent requirements, others ask nothing more of you than making an account to get started. 

 

2. Contact Specific Organizations 

If you already have an organization in mind, initiating direct contact may be the way to go. Write an email or even send a physical letter to the main office. Contact staff members through social media asking if they need volunteers or for the chance to talk to them. Before doing so, do your research. Demonstrate that your interest is genuine by knowing the facts, including what the company does and its values.

 

3. Reach Out After Meeting 

Don't get into contact once and never reach out again. In the busy rush of life, individuals from charity organizations may forget you. One of the best ways to avoid this is to reach out again and remind them of who you are and your interest in volunteering for their company, whether that is through email, letter, social media, or phone. Maintain relationships with these people. 

 

Networking is vital to effective volunteering. Making use of available internet resources, taking the initiative, and contacting organizations and following up after initial contact can help you find the volunteer opportunity that gives you the most fulfillment and enjoyment. 

 

A guest post from Dan Hall

 

Photo credit: Pexels.com 

 

Thanks Dan!

Are You and Your Aging Parents All Up to Date on Vaccines?

 

A reminder to be sure you and your loved ones are up to date on all vaccines. For COVID your seniors should have gotten their booster shot by now, but if not, they should get one as soon as possible. 

Other important vaccinations to consider include the Pneumonia vaccine, the Shingles vaccine, and of course the annual Flu vaccine. Check with their physician to be sure they are all updated.  

If they (or you) will be around any young children especially infants and toddlers, it's important to be current on the whooping cough vaccine which is usually a combination with the tetanus and pertussis. This helps protect the small children who are very vulnerable to this disease.

Please be careful and don't get complacent with masking and hand washing. The Omicron variant of COVID is not as resistant to the vaccine as we'd like it to be. Cases can be mild and often don't require hospitalization for those who have been fully vaccinated, but with the senior population, there's no reason to take chances. 

 

Please remember to check out the Online Course Caring for Your Aging Parents for $12!

 

photo credit: https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/vaccine-clinic.html?filter=all&qview=420878092 

How To Handle Two Care Arrangements For Aging Parents

A guest post from Annabelle Harris

 

If your parents are still living but one is showing signs of aging faster than the other, you may be concerned that they’ll no longer be able to safely reside by each other's side. Unfortunately, this happens in cases where one parent is younger or healthier than their spouse. However, there are a few ways to make the transition into separate living arrangements easier for everyone. Here, we cover a few topics that can help you as you help your aging parents make a life-changing decision.

 

Budget Considerations

 

One of the first things that you must consider is their budget. Can your aging parents afford for one to live in their current home and another to move to assisted or nursing care? If the answer is no, there are options. The first is to help them take out a reverse mortgage; the second is to sell their home so that they can move into a senior community with multiple care levels available.

 

Taking out a reverse mortgage is a process where the bank essentially buys equity while your parents are still alive and still live in the home. If one must move to more hands-on care arrangements, the other can stay at home without a mortgage. They receive a monthly payment, which can be used to cover nursing care for the other spouse. According to the FTC, the spouse remaining in the home must continue to pay taxes, maintain the home, and keep an active homeowners insurance policy.

 

Selling the home outright may be an option for those that can move into a CCRC (continuing care retirement community). This is a senior-oriented living arrangement that can change over time without having to move to a new location. A CCRC may start out as independent living and allow the residents to seamlessly move into assisted and then memory care without additional fees. Both parents may live together while one receives more hands-on assistance than the other. This is an expensive arrangement, and you will need to understand your loved one’s assets, including how much home equity they have. To calculate this correctly, check the current market value of the property against the mortgage balance.

 

Practical And Emotional Concerns

 

Chances are, if one of your parents is transitioning into nursing care, the other has been the primary caregiver for many years. Taking this labor of love off of them can be emotional, and your loved one may feel no longer needed. Although they likely felt anxious and exhausted through the process, losing these responsibilities can make them feel as though their “better half” has moved on. Remind the healthier parent that they are still needed, and that the reasons behind them no longer providing hands-on care are so that they can care for themselves. If one parent has moved into Alzheimer’s or dementia care, you can involve your other parent in deciding on treatment choices such as memory training, psychotherapy, and medication.

 

Practical issues to consider are when, how, and where your parents will get to interact. It might be best for as many family members as possible to visit as often as possible for the first couple of weeks. The Family Caregiver Alliance explains that outings, such as to lunch or dinner, might not be a wise idea in the early days, particularly if their memory issues are significant. It takes work, but, eventually, both parents will adjust to their new living arrangements. It will also help if you visit the non-institutionalized parent often so that they are not wracked with loneliness.

 

When only one parent needs a helping hand, deciding on how to handle two living arrangements is a challenge. However, there are many hurdles associated with aging, and this is just one. Take solace in knowing that you have options for both parents that may keep them together. And, if they can no longer share a bed, there’s no reason they can’t share a visit to keep their bonds as strong as ever.

 

 

Image via Pexels

Thanks for these great tips Annabelle!