Retired, but not tired: older citizens give back through volunteerism

In "the good old days," organizations could put out a call for volunteers and people who were so inclined would show up and do what was randomly assigned with little regard for whether it was particularly interesting or relevant to the volunteer. Not any more. Nonprofits are having to rethink how they recruit and retain volunteers, especially older retirees.

According to a report recently released by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the silver foxes are very active volunteers, but they also pick and choose where they invest their time and energy. In 2006, some 24.4 percent of Americans aged 65 and older volunteered their time and skills (by comparison, exactly a third of Americans 35-44 volunteered) in their communities.

But like most studies, you have to look beneath the surface. The percentage of older volunteers may be lower, but the amount of time they volunteered was actually double their younger counterparts. What's more, over the past 30 years, the 65+ age group is the only group whose numbers have increased on the volunteer front. They lead the pack when it comes to helping their neighbors.

Why the age uptick in volunteers? For one thing, our older population is generally healthier than past generations. They're also more skilled and have a desire to continue using their skills and experience long after they're done punching a time clock. It's one more way to stay vital. In fact, most are retired by choice, so they could pursue second (or third or fourth) careers; instead, they choose to give back.

Watch for this trend to continue with Boomers too. As we retire, expect us to look for opportunities to use our leadership skills and considerable business acumen to help our communities in countless ways.

But don't give us busy work. In Atlanta, Wisdom Works, an initative from the Council on Aging gets this. Already they are helping organizations find ways to better engage with Boomers and older volunteers. They hope to create a model that can be replicated across the country. They help match organizations with volunteers who want to donate specific skills and knowledge, i.e., a retiree who can develop a nonprofit's marketing plan or a Boomer who can show younger people how to make extensive home repairs. The point is they help identify a need, then match the person to the need. How great is that?

What has been your experience in volunteering? Do you think you'll volunteer more or less once you stop working full time?