Study Shows Formal Volunteering and Informal Helping Slows Cognitive Decline and Reduces Loneliness ~ Last Year 211 Senior Coastsiders Provided 15,000 Hours of Service!

ARTICLE. From Senior Coastsiders Executive Director, Sandi Winters, on September 2nd, 2025 for The Beacon, the Senior Coastsiders Monthly Newsletter. Volunteer!

Helping Others Helps You!

Last month the article I wrote was inspired by Chip Conley’s daily blog (www.meawisdom.com/wisdom-well/). It was about how having positive perceptions about aging is associated with improved physical and mental health and well-being. This month’s article is inspired by a weekly blog “Three Not-So-Bad Things on Aging and Longevity” written by Ken Stern. Ken is the founder and chair of the Longevity Project (www.longevity-project.com) which was created in collaboration with the Stanford Center on Longevity. In a recent blog Ken cited a new study in Social Science & Medicine that reports that regular time spent volunteering or helping outside the home significantly slows cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

The study examined two kinds of helping: formal volunteering through organizations and informal helping, such as supporting friends, neighbors, or other non-household individuals. Both forms of engagement were shown to provide cognitive benefits. Following more than 30,000 U.S. adults over two decades, researchers at the University of Texas and the University of Massachusetts Boston found that regular helpers experienced significantly slower cognitive decline than those who did not engage in helping.

They identified three benefit levels tied to time invested: low (under 2 hours weekly), moderate (2–4 hours), and high (over 4 hours). As expected, greater involvement brought greater benefits, though gains leveled off at higher levels of commitment.

Previous studies have shown that volunteers also enjoy better physical health and longer lives. They also experience less depression and loneliness, while gaining friendships, confidence, and a strong sense of purpose. With just 8 full-time and 6 part-time staff, Senior Coastsiders relies on the dedication of our incredible volunteers, whose time and talents power nearly every part of our mission:

• kitchen volunteers who prepare and serve our delicious meals
• drivers who deliver nutritious meals to homebound older adults
• greeters who check in and welcome diners for lunch
• office volunteers who are often the first point of contact for people contacting the center
• board members who provide governance and oversight
• pet buddy volunteers who help older adults care for their pets
• Pumpkin Run volunteers who keep the 1,500 runners safe and on course
• special event volunteers who ensure our celebrations flow smoothly and are fun
• instructors whose classes and activities support physical, social and mental well-being
• tech tutors who help older adults build digital literacy confidence and skills
• musicians who entertain our lunch time guests
• home repair volunteers who keep the homes of older Coastside adults safe and accessible
• friendly visitors who provide companionship and assistance with daily tasks

Last year 211 volunteers provided almost 15,000 hours of service to support successful aging for older Coastside adults. If you’d like to reap the many benefits of volunteering, contact Kerri our amazing Volunteer Coordinator or complete the volunteer interest form on our website at https://www.seniorcoastsiders.org/volunteer.

Author: mdrag

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