GAINING HEALTH WHILE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY Older adults
who volunteer in troubled urban schools not only improve the
educational experience of children, but realize meaningful
improvements in their own mental and physical health, say
researchers at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. The Johns
Hopkins investigators base their conclusion on the first
randomized clinical trial testing the health benefits of
participating in an established volunteer program called
Experience Corps in Baltimore. "While our results are
preliminary, what we found is a 'win-win' for everyone
involved," says the study's lead author, Linda P. Fried, M.D.,
director of the Center on Aging and Health at Johns Hopkins.
"Giving back to your community may slow the aging process in
ways that lead to a higher quality of life in older adults," she
adds. "Physical, cognitive and social activity increased in
volunteers, suggesting potential for Experience Corps and
similar programs to improve health for an aging population,
while simu