Volunteer Work May Help the Elderly Avoid Becoming
Frail, Other Signs of Aging
Productive activities - specifically volunteering,
paid work and child care - prevent the onset of frailty in seniors
Jan. 8, 2010 – Another study is out that finds,
like many before it, that keeping the mind and body active appears to
slow many of the signs and consequences of aging for senior citizens.
And, like others, this one finds that volunteer work seems to produce
the best results.
First study to demonstrate that social service
programs can have the added benefits of improving the cognitive
abilities of older adults volunteers - Dec. 15, 2009
Frailty is a geriatric condition marked by weight
loss, low energy and strength, and low physical activity. UCLA
researchers followed 1,072 healthy adults aged 70 to 79 between 1988 and
1991 to determine if productive activities — specifically volunteering,
paid work and child care — prevent the onset of frailty.
At the beginning of the study, 28 percent of
participants volunteered, 25 percent performed child care duties and 19
percent worked for pay.
After three years, participants in all three
activities were found to be less likely to become frail. After
accounting for levels of physical and cognitive function, however, only
volunteering was associated with lower rates of frailty.
The study suggests that participating in volunteer
activities may prevent frailty in older adults. A randomized trial is
needed to determine whether volunteering itself prevents the onset of
frailty, or if there is something about the types of people who
volunteer regularly that keeps them from becoming frail.
The study appears in the Journal of Gerontology:
Social Sciences.
The study was funded by the National Institute on
Aging and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Others who worked on the research include Yunkyung
Jung, Tara L. Gruenewald, Teresa Seeman and Catherine A. Sarkisian, all
of UCLA, authored the study. Sarkisian is also affiliated with the
Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Jan. 8, 2010 – Another study is out that finds,
like many before it, that keeping the mind and body active appears to
slow many of the signs and consequences of aging for senior citizens.
And, like others, this one finds that volunteer work seems to produce
the best results.