Volunteer DC, A Prescription for Staying Healthy!

  The state of our economy can be depressing and cause of much anxiety. People are concerned and it is not unusual to start to feel sick, or in despair. Most people do not think that volunteering can be a recipe for a healthy lifestyle, but having a good dose of "Giving Back" can actually make you feel better , more connected socially , mentally alert , and benefit be less likely to have heart disease.

  The health benefits of volunteering are well documented. Robert Grimm , director of policy research and development of the Company for the services of the National Community in Washington, DC, says that "people who volunteer DC regularly - one or two hours a week - tend to live longer have higher rates of depression and recover more quickly from illness . " *

The positive effects of volunteering for adults 65 and older found that :
• Physical and mental health is due to a sense of personal achievement they received from volunteering. **
• Older people who volunteer DC to spend approximately 315 hours / year socialize with other people , compared with about 243 hours for older volunteer DC and non- volunteer DC combined , the results suggest that more time spent interacting with others helps build social capital and health .

  The benefits of volunteering go beyond the community, but it also affects the person providing the service. The results of several studies are presented , "Health is maintained by volunteers, maintains healthy healthy volunteer DC .