The Aging with Dignity Foundation, understanding the value of service and selfless dedication, opened its doors to form a group of volunteers who directly support the carrying out of activities focused on fulfilling the common objective: Improving the quality of life of the Elderly.
Many people have joined this volunteer group, the majority are Older Adults who have responded to this invitation, which has allowed us to create a network of Older Adults that supports Older Adults, each volunteer contributes their knowledge, their time and your affection, to offer Seniors who are in a situation of vulnerability the company and listening they need.
The formation of this volunteer group also becomes a strategy to strengthen active aging, since thinking about an inclusive society for all ages means offering spaces so that older people can continue contributing to society from different aspects: economic, academic, social, cultural among others. In this sense, volunteering becomes a valuable tool for older adults to continue being useful to society. In addition, it is proven that volunteering activity
is a source of personal satisfaction, strengthens self-esteem, and improves mood. and expand social networks. (Mundaca, Zavala. 2014)
Older people who engage in volunteering have improvements in their health, improve their physical and psychological well-being, and according to studies, it delays the mortality of the older adult population. (Mundaca, Zavala. 2014)
Volunteering being a protective factor for Older Adults, we assume it as one of our flags and we are committed to having more older people join our project and thus continue bringing joy and well-being to Older Adults who have disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions. recognizing the older adult population as subjects of rights and not as objects of care and assistance.
The testimony of our volunteers confirms what the theory states, they feel that since they help at the Foundation, they experience more personal satisfaction, they feel useful to society and they are happier; At the Foundation the volunteers have found a safe place that welcomes them, values them and dignifies them.
REFERENCIA BIBLIOGRÁFICA
FERRADA MUNDACA, LESLIE, & ZAVALA GUTIÉRREZ, MERCEDES. (2014). PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING: ACTIVE ELDERLY THROUGH VOLUNTEERING. Ciencia y enfermería, 20(1), 123-130. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95532014000100011
