For older workers, volunteerism may slow the aging process

St. Louis — Older workers who volunteer – even in small amounts – can experience slower biological aging, according to a recent study.

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis examined data from more than 2,600 people at least 62 years old participating in the Health and Retirement Study. They were looking for a link between the frequency of volunteering and biological aging.

Findings show that the workers who volunteered more than 200 hours a year – equivalent to about four hours a week – exhibited the greatest rate of age deceleration. Even volunteering between one and 49 hours a year proved beneficial.

The researchers say their findings offer a potential public health intervention to enhance the health and quality of life of older people, whether working or retired.

“At the biological level, volunteers aged just a bit slower than non-volunteers,” study co-author Cal Halvorsen, an associate professor in WashU, said in a press release. “This type of consistent engagement likely provides a higher ‘dose’ of the social, physical and purposeful interaction that we think is good for people.”

The study was published in the journal Social Science & Medicine.