The Benefits of Volunteering, Increased Wellbeing, and a Lower Risk of Dementia
The WHO defines health as a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Loneliness is a common cause of lower wellbeing: obviously in people who are isolated in their own homes, but it is also possible to be isolated existentially in a residential home if no one else shares your passion for a particular activity or interest.
A recent randomised controlled trial demonstrates the benefits of volunteering, and here is the bottom line: volunteering has a beneficial effect on reducing loneliness in older adults who feel lonely, and this benefit can be maintained through continued participation in voluntary work. (1)
The good news is that volunteering will also reduce your risk of dementia, and the more challenging the role, the better; for example, sitting on the committee of a voluntary organisation, rather than only doing the practical tasks.
REFERENCE
Yeung DY-L, Jiang D, Warner LM, et al. (2025) The effects of volunteering on loneliness among lonely older adults: the HEAL-HOA dual randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Healthy Longevity 2025; 6(1): 100664. doi: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2024.100664. Available at: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(24)00190-9/fulltext