Jeremy Barron|Erwin J. Tan|Qilu Yu|Meilin Song|Sylvia McGill|Linda P. Fried
Potential for Intensive Volunteering to Promote the Health of Older Adults in Fair Health
Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|American Express (United States)|Columbia University
volunteer service opportunities older adults may soon expanded although volunteering thought provide health benefits healthier older adults known whether older adults less good health suitable candidates highintensity volunteering derive health benefits manuscript presents prospective analysis 174 older adult volunteers serving experience corps baltimore highintensity senior volunteer program baltimore maryland volunteers served 15 h per week full school year elementary schools helping children reading skills 1999 2002 volunteers assessed standardized questionnaires performancebased testing including grip strength walking speed chair stand speed stairclimbing speed prior school volunteering end school year results stratified health status among 174 volunteers 55 initially reported good 12 fair poor health status baseline fair health reported higher frequencies disease disability volunteers excellent good health volunteering majority volunteers every baseline health status category described increased strength energy fair health significantly likely display improved stairclimbing speed good excellentvery good health 1000 vs 534 vs 375 p 005 many showed clinically significant increases walking speed 05 ms satisfaction retention rates high health status groups clinicians consider whether patients fair good health well better health might benefit highintensity volunteer programs productive activity volunteering may effective communitybased approach health promotion older adults