Shelagh Bell is a shining example that volunteerism is alive and well in Canada. Many people may not realize the extent of the positive impact we, as a society, receive from the approximate 18 million Canadians who volunteer their time, energy, skills and knowledge to help other people, animals and our environment. To express it another way, collectively, these volunteers give us two billion hours of their time every year to make our community, indeed the world, a better place.
At 92, Shelagh is still doing what she has always loved to do – help others. A BC resident since 1960 (she’s originally from Calgary), Shelagh volunteers at Saanich Peninsula Hospital, something she started doing almost 40 years ago. Over the years, she has alternated between being a member of the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Auxiliary (of which she is a Past President).
An easy conversationalist, Shelagh says she volunteers “because I find people so interesting, and I love talking with people. Volunteering enables me to continue to meet new people from all walks of life, and to be of help to our community at the same time. What could be better than that?”
Shelagh certainly enjoys staying busy. She sews, loves walking with her Nordic poles, bakes, reads, uses her computer, but most of all, she loves being with people because “having a good conversation is so interesting. I am learning new things all the time.”
While COVID-19 is still with us, Shelagh cannot visit the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. Staying safe at home, she misses the hospital staff, patients and her fellow volunteers. She will return as soon as circumstances permit, and she can hardly wait. “I swear I am gaining much more from volunteering than I am giving of myself,” she says.
Even without her hospital friends, Shelagh still has plenty of friends and loves being a resident at Summergate Village, a modular home park near Sidney-by-the-Sea. Today, she is driving to the grocery store, and then popping in on a neighbour to share a glass of wine together.
People’s reasons for volunteering are as varied as the organizations for which they give their time. “I always feel good going home after volunteering,” says Shelagh. “I have the feeling that I have done something worthwhile today, and that feeling is priceless.”
Undeniably, volunteering has a host of benefits for those who take up the mantle. Volunteers report how volunteering helps reduce stress and combats depression. It provides a sense of purpose and the opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people.
Helpguide.org reports that “studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks, are less likely to develop high blood pressure and have better thinking skills.” If that wasn’t sufficient motivation, it also reports that “volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.”
Most organizations allow people to volunteer once they are 15 (and some even younger). But the good news for seniors is there is no upper age limit on volunteering. Shelagh is living proof of the benefits of volunteering. Not only is she helping others, she says, “at 92, I’m still having fun!”
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