Illinois seniors spend retirement by giving back

Some older adults have chosen to spend their retirement living by giving back to the community. This is especially true for retirement living center Windsor Park's residents, who have logged 14,000 hours of volunteer work for more than 30 organizations in 2009 alone, according to The Daily Herald.


Windsor Park residents Stanley and Melodee Yohe feel like they're doing what they've always been doing - helping others.

Two times a week, the couple volunteers at an international school directed by their daughter and also participates in a food drive for children, even traveling to Missouri several times a year to help youngsters there.


"We always said when we retire we didn't want to just lie in the sun or go golfing," Melodee told the news source. "It's really no different from the way we've been all our lives. When you retire, you have more time."


Volunteering can also be an effective way to stay socially engaged during retirement. EveryDayHealth.com reports that interacting with others can be a cure for depression and other mental conditions. Being social may also help prevent Alzheimer's disease, according to CBS News.


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