June feels great. She enjoys gardening, 

playing cards with friends on Tuesdays and 

Fridays at the senior center, and taking a 

water aerobics class at the county indoor 

pool. She turns 78 this year, but she feels 

like she’s still in her thirties. 

Does June’s active lifestyle have anything to 

do with her good health and good function? 

Researchers would likely say “yes.” There 

are many things you can do to help yourself 

age well. Physical activity, exercise, and 

making healthy food choices are the 

cornerstones for most suggestions about 

healthy aging. But emerging research also 

indicates the possibility that engaging in 

social and productive activities you enjoy, 

like taking an art class or volunteering in 

your community or with your place of 

worship, may also help maintain your 

well-being. A number of early studies found 

that people who are involved in hobbies and 

other social and leisure pursuits may be at 

lower risk for (and less likely to develop) 

some health problems, including dementia. 

They might even live longer. In one study, 

older adults who reported participating in 

social activities (e.g., played games, belonged 

to social groups, traveled) or meaningful, 

productive activities (e.g., had paid or 

unpaid jobs, gardened) lived longer than 

people who did not. Researchers are 

exploring if participation in these kinds of 

activities can be the direct cause of positive 

health outcomes. 

Melvin has not quite felt like himself since 

he retired. He worked at the same job for 

over 50 years and enjoyed his daily routine. 

Now, Melvin misses catching up with his 

customers and hearing about their families. 

He misses teaching new employees the ins 

and outs of the trade. He misses waking up 

feeling like he has a purpose. Melvin heard 

about a program at a library where retired 

people volunteer to help children with homework. He thinks that might be a good idea 

for him. 

Research shows that people who are sociable, 

generous, and goal-oriented may be happier 

and less depressed than other people. 

Sitting at home alone could help explain 

why Melvin is not feeling like himself. 

Volunteering might help Melvin feel better. 

According to researchers, older adults who 

participate in what they believe are meaningful 

National Institute on Aging 

National Institutes of health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Participating in Activities You En oy—

More Than Just Fun and Games

Tips from the National Institute on Aging
Participating in activities you enjoy

2

activities, like volunteering in their communities, say they feel healthier and happier. 

For example, older adult volunteers from 

an urban community worked approximately 

15 hours a week in their neighborhood 

public elementary schools, in a special program designed to improve children’s school 

success. Researchers learned that the older 

volunteers increased their cognitive, social, 

and physical activity levels. Participants 

also reported feeling personal satisfaction from 

the experience. Although more research is 

needed, researchers think that over the long 

term the participants may have decreased 

their risk for disability, dependency, and 

dementia in later life. 

When Maria was younger, she took part 

in rallies for local issues and even went to 

Washington, DC, to hear Martin Luther 

King, Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech. Maria 

is proud she participated in these events. 

She currently serves lunch at a homeless 

shelter twice a week but is looking for a 

second activity. Maria has been learning 

about the problems with the environment 

and wants to get involved in finding a 

solution. She thinks it would be a good 

way to volunteer her time and give back. 

Many causes need help from volunteers. For 

example, groups that help homeless people 

need volunteers to serve meals or organize 

clothing donations. The USO needs people 

to send care packages to soldiers stationed 

overseas. Animal shelters need help caring 

for dogs and cats. Senior groups need 

aides to help people with disabilities run 

their errands. The list goes on. Researchers 

have found that older adults, like Maria, 

who take part in these types of activities 

often do so to make a difference in their 

communities and feel good about what they 

are doing. 

Linn was used to helping care for her 

grandchildren while her daughter was at 

work. But now the younger grandchildren 

are in high school. They just don’t need as 

much help. As a result, Linn finds that she 

has a lot of extra time on her hands. She is 

thinking about joining her church’s youngat-heart social group. She hears that they do 

many different volunteer activities, play 

bingo Sunday evenings, go to the movies 

together, have a knitting club, and even 

organize a power walk in the mall two 

mornings a week. 

Linn’s church has an active program. But, 

there are plenty of other options for places 

to volunteer or be socially active. Where you 

look to find these opportunities might 

depend on what you are interested in doing. 

The following are some examples of social 

and productive activities you might like: 

z Volunteering at a library, hospital, or 

other community health facility

z Joining a senior center

z Playing cards and other games with 

your friends 

z Going to the theater, a movie, or a 

sporting event

z Traveling with a group of older adults, 

perhaps a retiree group

z Visiting friends and family 
TIPS FROM THE National Institute on Aging

3

z Trying different restaurants

z Gardening in your backyard or at a 

community park

z Organizing a park clean-up through 

your local recreation center

z Taking a cooking class 

z Singing in a choral group

z Joining a local theater troupe 

z Forming or joining a book club

z Going dancing

z Taking a group exercise class 

z Playing a musical instrument, learning a 

new instrument

z Joining a group interested in a hobby 

like knitting or wood carving 

z Getting a part-time job

z Taking an art class

Two years ago, Ted started doing volunteer 

work at his senior center. Later he started 

some clubs at the center. Now he volunteers 

3 days a week, is part of the center’s theater 

group, and plays in a weekly poker game. He 

recently joined the planning committee for 

his apartment building. It meets twice a 

month. Ted is rushing all the time and 

starting to feel that he is doing too much. 

Everyone has different limits to the amount 

of time he or she can spend on social or 

other activities. What is perfect for one 

person might be too much for another. 

Ted may cut back his volunteer hours and 

find that doing a little less is just right for 

him. His friend Rasheed may feel that doing 

two activities—a monthly book club and 

tutoring once a week in the high school—is 

enough. Remember: participating in activities

you enjoy should be fun, not stressful.

June, Melvin, Maria, Linn, and Ted are 

examples of people who are staying socially 

engaged in their communities. You may 

want to try too! 

Here are some resources that can help you 

find activities you might enjoy: 

America’s Natural and Cultural 

Resources Volunteer Portal

www.volunteer.gov

A Federal Government website to help people 

find volunteer opportunities in State parks 

and other areas with natural and cultural 

resources. You can search by location and 

type of activity such as “tour guide” or 

“botany.” 

Corporation for National and 

Community Service

www.nationalservice.gov

1-202-606-5000

1-800-833-3722 (TTY/toll-free)

A Federal Government resource aimed 

at improving lives, strengthening communities, and fostering civic engagement 

through service and volunteering. Learn 

about research on volunteering in America 

and find out about special volunteering 

initiatives.
Participating in activities you enjoy

Experience Corps 

www.experiencecorps.org

1-202-434-6400

Members tutor and mentor children in 

cities across the country and provide literacy 

coaching, homework help, and consistent 

role models, as well as committed, caring 

attention. Find a program near you and read 

about how the program has made a difference in the lives of the volunteers and the 

children’s families.

Senior Corps

www.getinvolved.gov

1-800-942-2677 (toll-free)

1-800-833-3722 (TTY/toll-free)

A Federal group that works with thousands 

of nonprofit organizations and local agencies—both secular and faith-based—to 

promote service opportunities for older 

Americans. Learn how to get involved in a 

variety of volunteer activities near you.

To order free publications (in English or Spanish) or sign up for email alerts, go to www.nia.nih.gov/health

Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of 

Medicine. This website has health and wellness information for older adults. Special features make it simple to use. 

For example, you can click on a button to make the type larger.

September 2009

REPRINTED NOVEMBER 2011

NIH PUBLICATION No. 09-7411

For more information about health and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center

P.O. Box 8057

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

www.nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov/espanol

United We Serve

www.serve.gov

1-202-606-5000

1-800-833-3722 (TTY/toll-free)

Part of the Federal Government’s nationwide service initiative, this online resource 

helps you find volunteer opportunities in 

your community. You can also find out 

how to create your own volunteer opportunity and register it on the website.

VolunteerMatch

www.volunteermatch.org

1-415-241-6868

A nonprofit organization that helps people 

find volunteer opportunities that fit their 

interests and needs. You can learn how to 

get started and register on their website for 

email alerts.