Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Doing Good and Feeling Good
Volunteering doesn't just help others -- it may also benefit your health. Reviewers from the Corporation for National and Community Service (a government agency that promotes volunteerism) reviewed two decades of data from over 30 studies and found that volunteers had less depression, reported greater satisfaction with life, and lived longer than those who did not volunteer.
One two-year study found that adults over 75 who volunteered or worked for over 100 hours a year were one third less likely to report bad health and two thirds less likely to die over the course of the study. And according to other data in the review, people over 65 seemed to benefit more from volunteering than younger participants.
That volunteering has psychological benefits probably comes as no surprise to people who volunteer regularly -- doing good in turn leads to feeling good. But for older people, who are more likely to have retired or lost a spouse, volunteer activities are also a way to stay active and involved in their communities. The structure and social support that volunteer activities provide may help stave off depression that often accompanies chronic illnesses and major role transitions, including moves into long-term care residences.
According to an eight-year study of 1,137 adults, volunteering after the death of a spouse was associated with a decline in depression. And people who volunteered before their spouses died were less depressed after losing a spouse than those who hadn't volunteered before.
- These emotional benefits may have a biological basis. According to Peter Rabins, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Health Policy and Director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins, "Studies by my colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Older Americans Intervention Center have revealed that volunteering is associated with increased blood flow in certain areas of the brain, which might indicate more connections between brain cells in these areas. Their research also shows that volunteer work with children improves mood and morale. Perhaps better mood and blood flow are related."
Research has established that depression makes it harder both to recover from illness and to do things that are good for you, like exercise and eat well. Thus, the improved mental well-being that results from volunteering may also have an indirect impact on physical health.
Posted in Healthy Living on January 28, 2009
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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Excellent Article on Volunteerism! I've forwarded it to our local newspaper as a resource to use in April to celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week. We're sharing the article with our 65 active volunteers next Monday at their regular monthly volunteer meeting here Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center. What a great tool for aiding in volunteer recruiting!
Your recent HealthAlerts regarding Diabetes were also the springboard for our “Live Well” lunch and learn seminar hosted by Dr. Finley Turner on Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes scheduled on February 25th. The hospital will be providing free blood glucose checks and registered dieticians and certified diabetes counselors will provide counseling and nutritional information.
In March, all three of our general surgeons will host another “Live Well” lunch and learn focusing on colon cancer and the benefit of colonoscopy screenings after 50. Clinics through our primary service area will be providing free occult blood screenings kits during the month of March. We’ve designed a direct mail piece to educate, invite, and give folks a tool to begin a conversation with their PCP: “Questions to Ask My Doctor.” Again, HealthAlerts have been an exceptional resource for us.
Clearly, your articles are a great resource for our hospital, physicians and community. We appreciate you making them available and providing us, not only with information, but inspiration. “Inspiration in an email!” …every marketers dream. Thank you!
Live Well Brenda O. Harrison Director of Community Relations Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center Russellville, AR 72801
Posted by: BrendaHarrison | January 28, 2009 12:52 PM