Health Benefits of Volunteering Campaign

Campaign Goals To spread public awareness, on a local and national level, of the role of volunteering in improving the health of older adults To not only educate older adults about the health benefits of volunteering, but also to motivate them to take action To strengthen interest in the volunteer programs offered by AAAs and to support their volunteer recruitment activities To educate key decision makers, including elected officials and policymakers about the significant, positive impact older volunteers can have on their communities

Why Does this Matter Now? 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day, are living longer and are seeking meaningful ways to contribute to society The number of volunteers age 65-plus is expected to double in just a few years 8.6 million Americans are expected to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease—a fourfold increase—in the next 50 years; there is a positive link between volunteering and improved brain health Every $1 invested in a skilled volunteer returns $8 in services on average, a return on investment that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially in lean budgetary times

How Much Time Do Older Adults Need to Volunteer? If you volunteer for as little as two hours a week, or about 96 hours per year, you may experience improved mental, emotional and physical health Older volunteers contribute almost twice as many hours as any other age group, so they’re reaping the biggest health benefits of all

What’s Happening in Your Community What’s Happening in Your Community? (Include volunteer data and demographics about the impact volunteers are making in your area)

Your AAA Volunteer Program (Describe capabilities and impact)

How We're Supporting the Campaign (include details about outreach efforts to make clients and the wider community aware of this campaign)