A new study found a 43% drop in the odds of depression among those with this habit
Retirees who have newfound time on their hands and face the loss of the structure, purpose and social contacts they had at work, as well as potential new health issues, are at an increased risk of depression.
Spending time on causes they care about could be an antidote, new research shows.
Volunteering was associated with a 43% reduction in the odds of depression, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that looked at 2,990 people ages 65 to 79.
"The evidence is quite clear that retirement is associated with an increased risk of depression. This is not adequately discussed," Guohua Li, professor of epidemiology at Columbia University and senior author of the study, told MarketWatch. "Being engaged in a social activity can help depression. Volunteering is part of that equation."
The the U.S. population is getting older, with more than 10,000 people turning 65 every day through 2027. Risks in retirement include social isolation and loneliness, which the U.S. surgeon general called a national epidemic as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
"Retirement is a very important life event. If we are not adequately prepared, what do we do with free time? There is a real risk of depression," Li said. "The benefits of volunteering help everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status."
Retirees are projected to volunteer 58 billion hours between 2016 and 2035, equating to a contribution of almost $1.4 trillion worth of services nationwide, according to a Merrill Lynch retirement study conducted in partnership with the consulting firm AgeWave.
Read: Volunteering can be key to a happy retirement. Why aren't more people doing it?
The depression study didn't look at the amount or type of volunteering, Li said, adding that retirees should do whatever volunteering is practical and aligned with their interests.
"The evidence suggests the more, the better. There are many different ways to volunteer," Li said. "The benefit of volunteering is not limited to mental health. It helps with physical health, as well."
Still, only about one-quarter of the nation's 70 million retirees volunteer, according to Ken Dychtwald, chief executive of AgeWave and co-author of the book "What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life's Third Age." Meanwhile, he noted, the average U.S. retiree watches 47 hours of television a week.
"We could do more to minimize the risk and increase public awareness of depression if more people understood the benefits of volunteering," Li said.
-Jessica Hall
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