Volunteering for the Health of It

The right kind of volunteering – at the right dose – can not only make you feel good; it also can make you healthier. Volunteering could be your ticket to healthy aging, improving your chances for a longer life with less disability. That’s the message coming out of research by a new crop of gerontologists – among them, University of Southern California gerontologist Tara Gruenewald, PhD, M.P.H. – who have moved the spotlight from age-related diseases to a more positive focus on healthy aging.