We’ve known for a while that by volunteering, you not only give back to your community but you yourself will experience physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. It’s surely a win-win situation for all. And now we have new research from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health that makes the case even stronger. In a new study, over 13,000 volunteers over age 50 were followed for 8 years, with the results being that just 2 hours per week of volunteering resulted in study participants enjoying longer, happier, and healthier lives. While not directly correlating the type of volunteer efforts with a specific effect on any particular disease, the researchers nonetheless concluded that regular altruistic activities reduce the risk of death. They also reported that volunteers had a greater sense of meaning in their lives, were more optimistic, and got more exercise, all of which correspond to healthier aging. To find out more, take a look at that sign-up sheet and read more here.

You may be thinking now is not the time to volunteer, given the limitations on social gatherings and the threat of coronavirus infection. In fact, many of you may be the recipients of volunteer efforts, as younger volunteers have worked in communities nationwide to help those more at risk with errands such as food shopping or medication retrieval. But that may be all the more reason you now want to do something yourself- to give back, to help in your own community or to assist someone whose situation is worse than yours at this moment. And fortunately, there are innumerable ways for you to “virtually volunteer” from your own home. For example, the website Create The Good from AARP lists specific opportunities for volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic. Next Avenue also recently ran a post detailing ways you can provide assistance without ever leaving your home. The website Volunteer Match has thousands of ongoing and time-limited virtual volunteer gigs for you to check out, and finally, take a look at the list of ideas that CNN recently posted.

But perhaps the ultimate volunteer opportunity at this moment is volunteering for a clinical trial to test a coronavirus vaccine. While understanding that such an activity could put you at risk, some see that as a way to give back in a meaningful way that could work to the benefit of many. A recent post in Inverse described varying motivations of several vaccine trial volunteers and the ethical implications of purposely exposing yourself to the COVID-19 virus for the benefit of science. It will be important for clinical trials to have older volunteers to test the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in older adults and vaccine options cannot be developed without thousands of people willing to volunteer their time and bodies to the cause. And while that level of altruism may not appeal to you, then at least give serious thought to doing whatever you can for those in need- you’ll be helping them and, as research shows, helping yourself in the process.