When you begin to compare their different interests and energy levels, you would never imagine that children and the elderly would ever have anything in common. Despite this, volunteering with seniors can be an enriching experience for younger generations.

Students should be encouraged to join a program within their local community that would allow them to interact freely and spend time with seniors. Younger people interested in the medical field may want to work with a service that provides home care for seniors in Philadelphia, Seattle, or any city. Here are proven benefits that both the young and the old can reap from spending time together.

1. It Bridges the Generational Gap

It can be hard to merge the old and the young. However, there are activities like volunteering which the seniors and the young ones can participate in together. Through this interaction, the old can train the young generation on essential life lessons and different approaches to life.

2. Sharing Interests

Isolation and loneliness are significant concerns affecting seniors. Volunteering creates the perfect avenue to create meaningful connections and friendships between all ages and share common interests. If the young make time to participate in these social activities together, they are bound to form meaningful connections in the end.

3. Builds Personal Growth and Self Esteem

Aging should be considered a natural process in life, and personal growth should continue even in old age. Volunteering presents the perfect venture to get new experiences, identify strengths, and give a sense of purpose. When one is called upon to coordinate, listen and provide support to a group of people, it improves their self-esteem and personal growth.

4. Creates a Learning Opportunity

There’s often a misconception that seniors have lost the will to learn new things. This could be true for some but false for some. For example, with the many technological advancements, seniors are slowly developing an interest in this. Since the young generation is good at these, they can come in during their free time to help the elderly stay connected to the world and keep them mentally active.

Alternatively, the young are also taught how to handle life experiences and make better decisions, and they get to learn from the mistakes the elderly made in the past.

Both the seniors and the young generation can both benefit greatly from spending time together. With time, both parties get to appreciate each other’s existence, and there’s no better result than that.

About the Author
Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.