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Stay active in the community to stay independent at home 2010-01-08 It's the goal of many seniors to stay in their homes as long as possible, and new research suggests that staying active is an essential component to remaining independent. According to researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles, volunteering was found to reduce incidences of frailty among people aged 70 to 79. A study performed between 1988 and 1991 followed 1,000 healthy seniors who volunteered, cared for children or performed paid work. After adjusting for physical and cognitive declines, it was determined that only the volunteers were less likely to be frail after three years. The effects of volunteering may be as much psychological as they are physical. Medical experts say that any kind of physical activity, even walking, is crucial to maintaining health in one's golden years, but volunteering has been shown to have measurable effects on people's happiness levels. A 2004 British study found that volunteering was tied to better health and greater life satisfaction. In cities where high levels of volunteering were recorded, people reported feeling more satisfied with their lives, and there's no reason to believe that the same benefits can't be realized on this side of the pond.  |
