Hobbies & Interests

Looking for fun ideas for your family this summer? Choose from the following suggestions or brainstorm your own ideas that best fit your family.

Togetherness

Keep in mind the importance of just being together as a family. Your children love your attention, whether it’s on a trip or while picking strawberries together. Schedule time each week for family activities. You could:

• Go for an after-dinner walk
• Establish a board game night or movie night
• Visit a farmer’s market on Saturdays

Fun with food

Sometimes simple changes in routine are fun. Eating a meal outside on a porch or in your yard can feel like a great adventure to your child. You can also:

• Bring a picnic to a park, lake, hike, etc.
• Make homemade ice cream for dessert
• Pick fruit together—blackberries, peaches, strawberries—and make a pie
• Eat watermelon and have a seed-spitting contest—outside, of course

Local attractions

Your town might offer great options for summer fun. If not, take a family drive to a nearby town and see what it has to offer. Look for:

• Museums, parks, zoos, historical sites
• Summer festivals and fairs
• Concerts and other performances
• Drive-in movie theaters
• Special events at local libraries

Outdoor adventure

Your own back yard could also provide lots of fun. Explore nature alongside your children. Look for fireflies, other bugs or frogs. Other suggestions are to:

• Explore nearby woods, hiking trails and creeks
• Fish
• Go for a family bike ride
• Pitch a tent in your back yard and camp out together
• Lie on a blanket and look at the stars

Play together

Playing together builds special memories and strong family bonds. You can spend a little cash to treat the family to a game of miniature golf or set up a wiffle golf course in your yard. Try to find activities that you all enjoy. Here some more ideas:

• Build a fort together
• Stage a family play and perform for grandparents, neighbors, etc.
• Learn a new craft or hobby that even the youngest can handle
• Have a slumber party—family only—in your living room

Water fun

A true crowd pleaser for most families on hot summer days is to go for a swim. You might have to search a little for a community pool, water park or nearby lake. If such a luxury can’t be found, perhaps you could get up early and brave a longer drive to a beach or water park in another town. Other ideas are to:

• Have a water balloon toss
• Splash in the sprinkler
• Wash the car together, expecting to get soaked
• Splurge one weekend and stay at a local hotel with a pool

Hit the road

If your budget and your work schedule allow it, a week or long weekend together at a beach, mountain cabin or a new town can make summer memorable. Is there a family out there with the courage to trade houses with you for a week? If you can’t afford to travel but can take a few days off, use that time to play together, perhaps using some of the suggestions offered in this article, or just enjoy being happily lazy together.

By Laurie M. Stewart

©2005-2022 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

• Allow time to vent.
• Suggest other options.
• Turn setback into challenge.
• Emphasize other talents.

For kids, playing sports at a young age can teach them a variety of valuable life skills, such as teamwork, discipline, responsibility, physical fitness, and, sometimes, how to handle setbacks and accept disappointment. At times, the latter lessons come when the child is excluded from the sport—when she is cut from the team.

Being told that he isn’t “good enough” to play a sport he enjoys can be devastating to a child’s self-esteem. He may react with anger, sadness or disappointment. This is often a good time for a parent to teach the child how to handle his emotions in a healthy manner and to keep such setbacks in perspective.

Children, especially younger ones, are constantly measuring their own self-worth by comparing themselves to one another, battling over who is the “tallest,” the “fastest,” the “strongest,” the “best.” Team sports tap into this natural competitive drive. There are several ways you can help your child cope with the disappointments that are often inevitable in team sports—such as being cut from the team:

Prepare your child. If you know your child is trying out for a team or attempting to keep her place during team cuts, discuss the possible outcomes with her. Stress to her that not being selected is not a reflection of her self-worth, and that you will love her no matter what the results.

Allow your child time to vent. Being disappointed may leave your child feeling sad or angry. Validate your child’s feelings by listening and giving him time to express his emotions.

Suggest other options. If your child still wants to play the sport, remind her that there are other ways she can do so. Intramural or informal teams can allow her to practice her skills. If your child is interested in another sport, encourage her efforts in that one.

Turn a setback into a challenge. If your child expresses interest in improving his skills for try-outs at a later time, encourage him to form a plan that will help him concentrate on the areas on which he needs to improve. Following through on such a plan can help him learn self-motivation and see the results of his hard work.

Emphasize your child’s other talents. While the physical fitness and teamwork skills gained through team sports are important, so are the benefits to be gained through your child’s other activities and interests. Draw attention to these talents, and remind her that playing sports is just one of the many things she does well.

Finally, remember that your child will learn to judge his successes and failures based on your own reactions to them. Be careful not to add to his disappointment by voicing your own. Praise your child’s efforts, and accept whatever the outcome may be.

By Barbara A. Gabriel

©2000-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

Involve the whole family in choosing one or two new activities to try for fun at home.

Looking for simple ways to have fun at home as a family? Check out these suggestions.

Fun indoors

Do you need a few new indoor activities to brighten up your week? Here are a few ideas:

• Taste test: Let everyone sample various brands of microwave popcorn, cocoa, juices, raisins, and different kinds of apples to determine their favorites.
• Pajama party: After a dinner of favorite breakfast foods, hang out together in your PJs with the lights down low, and swap spooky or funny stories. Are you really brave? Set up sleeping bags and snooze together in one room.
• Blindfold game: Select several objects to place on a table. Let a blindfolded person try to identify the objects. Challenge each other to find the trickiest objects for the table.
• Be creative: Learn a new craft or hobby that even the youngest can handle
• Have a picnic: Set up a blanket on the family room floor and have a picnic dinner as you watch a movie together. You can take this a step further and “camp out” by the fireplace if you have one.
• Photo opportunities: Gather all the photos you can find of the family and create an album or collage together.
• Bird watch: Place a bird feeder in a place that is easy for you all to observe from indoors. Borrow a book from the library about birds and try to identify the ones you see.
• Story time: Spend some time each week reading a chapter book as a family. Take turns reading out loud, if possible. You might want to discuss the characters or act out your favorite scenes.

Fun outdoors

Try to spend time together outdoors, too. Take a 15- to 30-minute family walk several days a week or plan a longer hike on the weekends. Here are other ideas:

• Bubbles: Blow bubbles and work together to keep as many of them floating for as long as you can.
• Sidewalk chalk: Get the whole family involved in decorating your driveway or sidewalk.
• Obstacle course: If you have a suitable space, create an obstacle course. Place objects to zig zag around, hop over, crawl under—whatever suits your group.
• Snow: If you have snow, get the whole family involved in shoveling, building a snowman, going for short treks around the neighborhood, etc. Color snow with spray bottles filled with diluted primary food colors—it’s artful and experimental when colors are mixed.
• Warm weather: Play in the lawn sprinkler, wash the car together, or toss water balloons.

Special events

Plan special nights or events for everyone. See if any of these look right for your family:

• Game night: Pull out all the board and card games you can find and play.
• Boss night: Take turns letting one family member pick the group activity for 30 to 45 minutes after dinner.
• Guest-of-honor night: Let a family member be the center of attention for an entire evening. Prepare the honoree’s favorite meal, set an elegant table, have everyone say something nice about him at dinner, etc.
• Family banquet: Dress up formally, use the “good plates” and even dance together after dinner.

Get your family together and agree on a few of these activities to start, or use them to stir your creativity and make up your own fun!

By Laurie M. Stewart

©2002-2020 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

Involve the whole family in choosing one or two new activities to try for fun this winter.

You don’t have to spend big bucks and change everyone’s lives just to have a bit more togetherness and fun this winter. Take a look at these suggestions  to see if anything suits your family.

Stuck indoors

If it’s hard to get outdoors, you might need a few new indoor activities to brighten up your week. Sometimes, just the tiniest change in your regular routine can perk up the whole family. Here are a few ideas:

• Taste test. Let everyone sample various brands of microwave popcorn, cocoa, juices, raisins, and different kinds of apples to determine their favorites.
• Pajama party. The whole family gets into pajamas before dinner. After a dinner of favorite breakfast foods, hang out together with the lights down low, and swap spooky or funny stories. Are you really brave? Set up sleeping bags and snooze together in one room.
• Blindfold game. Select several objects to place on a table. Let a blindfolded person try to identify the objects. Challenge each other to find the trickiest objects for the table.
• Have a picnic. Set up a blanket on the family room floor and have a picnic dinner as you watch a movie together. You can take this a step further and “camp out” by the fireplace if you have one. And for the really bold—spend an entire day of the weekend using as little technology/electricity as possible. Use candles safely, please.
• Photo opportunities. Gather all the photos you can find of the family and create an album or collage together.
• Bird watch. Place a bird feeder in a place that is easy for you all to observe from indoors. Borrow a book from the library about birds and try to identify the ones you see.
• Story time. Spend some time each week reading a chapter book as a family. Take turns reading out loud, if possible. You might want to discuss the characters or act out your favorite scenes.
• Give to others. Bake and decorate several batches of cookies together, then give some of them to neighbors, a local shelter, or nursing home.

Change of scenery

Sometimes, even when the weather is nasty, you just have to get out of the house. Make the best use of what your area offers—museums, libraries, bowling alleys, skating rinks, theaters. Even the zoo or a park can be exciting in the winter. Since exercise is so important for everyone’s health, why not establish a 15- to 30-minute “family walk” time several days a week or plan a longer hike on the weekends? Consider these other ideas:

• Bubbles. Blowing bubbles outdoors on a cold day doesn’t usually come to mind. Try it.
• Lights. Drive or walk through neighborhoods that are lit up decoratively throughout the winter holidays.
• Obstacle course. Whether your back yard is green or white in the winter, you can all enjoy the challenge of creating and running through an obstacle course. Place objects to zig zag around, hop over, crawl under—whatever suits your group.
• Snow. If you do have snow, get the whole family involved in shoveling, building a snowman, going for short treks around the neighborhood, etc. Color snow with spray bottles filled with diluted primary food colors—it’s artful and experimental when colors are mixed.

Special events

Whether you are indoors or out, the priority is finding time to be together. It’s not so easy for many families to carve out much daily time together. If you all have busy schedules, plan special nights or events to look forward to once a week or even once a month. See if any of these options fit your family, or use them to brainstorm your own special activities:

• Family night. Set aside one night a week or month strictly for the whole family to spend together. Turn off TVs, computers, and phones.
• Game night. This can be the basis of your family night or a separate event. Pull out all the board and card games you can find and play.
• Boss night. Take turns weekly or monthly letting one family member pick the group activity for 30 to 45 minutes after dinner.
• Guest-of-honor night. Let a family member be the center of attention for an entire evening. Prepare the honoree’s favorite meal, set an elegant table, have everyone say something nice about him at dinner, etc.
• Family banquet. Dress up formally, use the “good plates” and even dance together after dinner.

Start simple

Pick one or two activities and try them out for a while. Expect a few flops and even some resistance now and then. Keep plugging away. 

By Laurie M. Stewart

©2002-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health

Working, going to school, raising children, fighting traffic—trying to strike a balance in life can sometimes seem too much, but finding time to relax and let go of tension plays a vital role in daily life. Relaxation can help cut fatigue, improve performance, raise a person’s pain threshold, and make it easier to handle stress. A hobby can give this outlet and help both your mental and physical health.

Health benefits of hobbies

People should make hobbies a top priority, some researchers say. Making time to do the things you enjoy can affect your mental health by reducing worry and depression, and helping you keep a good frame of mind.

Stress reduction also alters physical health. An Ohio State University study demonstrated how stress slows the healing of wounds. Stress has also been shown to affect heart disease risk factors and behaviors, such as overeating, inactivity, smoking, high blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Research has found that stress can weaken the immune system and make a person more likely to get infectious diseases and illnesses such as asthma, psoriasis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Hobbies can have long-term health benefits. For example, researchers from Case Western Reserve University found that keeping active through hobbies such as gardening, woodworking, or completing jigsaw puzzles might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Less active people were three times more likely to have the disease, the study showed. More passive activities, such as watching TV, likely will not have the same health benefits as an engaging hobby, researchers believe.

Experiment with many activities

If you have a hobby, make time each day or each week to enjoy it. If you do not have one, try a few until you find one you like. Hobbies can be tailored to any interest or budget. It is easy to experiment or find others with similar interests.

Websites offer information and fellowship for people interested in everything from bird watching to ham radio to soap making. Some online services allow people to join club sites or start their own. Community centers, parks, and schools often offer art courses or other activities at night and on the weekends. Consider taking an exercise class or starting an exercise routine with a friend. Or, try finding a club in your area that could foster your interests. Ski clubs, book clubs, and other groups often meet regularly and schedule activities.

Volunteering is another way to take a break while helping others. Some communities have volunteer coordinators and many newspapers and websites list volunteer opportunities. You also can ask about volunteering at a place that appeals to you, such as a hospital, animal shelter, or nursing home.

Learning to relax may take a while. But finding time for a hobby can help you stay healthy, both physically and mentally.

By Kristen Knight

©2000-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

• Talk to your co-workers about any parties in the works.
• Visit relatives you haven’t seen in a while.
• Throw your own party.

The words “alone” and “holidays” just don’t go together. People almost inevitably speak of holidays in terms of plans made with family and friends. During those times, being single may seem difficult. But don’t let yourself feel left out. Take the time to plan where you want to spend the holidays and with whom.

Before you make plans, assess your state of mind as the holidays approach. Do you feel intimidated attending parties or family events alone? You shouldn’t. Around the holidays, more than ever, it’s important to feel secure in your singleness. Remember that being single can be liberating—you can come and go as you like, mingle freely, and maybe even strike up conversations or relationships you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to otherwise. The holidays can provide time to strengthen friendships and family relationships.

Prioritize engagements

Planning your holiday time also can help get you in the spirit. You should get started as early as possible. Call your family and friends and ask about seasonal events or get-togethers. Start a list of engagements and then prioritize. Decide where and with whom you’ll feel happiest and most comfortable—don’t feel pressured to go where you know you’ll be miserable. If you have children, also keep in mind that many relatives probably will want to visit with them, and that they should have the opportunity to spend time with family. Then update your calendar with all the events you’ve decided to attend so far.

Fill the gaps with holiday cheer

Once you have all your planned activities on the calendar, check how much time you still have open. Use a little creativity to fill the gaps in with holiday cheer. Try these ideas:

• Talk to your co-workers about any parties in the works. Don’t feel awkward about asking to be included. Offer to help with planning or bring food.
• Visit relatives you haven’t seen in a while. Make the effort to schedule a visit, especially if you have an older family member who may be alone.
• Throw your own party. Ask a few friends or co-workers to come over and bring their favorite dish. You could plan an activity—maybe ice skating or a holiday movie—or just spend a few hours chatting.
• Volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. A visit from a kind stranger may be the highlight of the season for a person spending the holidays alone, and it will provide an uplifting experience for you as well.
• Serve a holiday meal at a homeless shelter. Try to get a friend to go with you, and maybe you could make it a holiday tradition. You’ll be contributing to a worthwhile cause and you can meet other volunteers.
• Spend a quiet evening at home reading or watching a movie. Get your favorite take-out dinner and relax.
• Plan a trip. Go it alone or join a tour—many companies offer singles packages. No matter what, make reservations ahead of time. It may seem intimidating to travel by yourself, but once you overcome your fears your vacation could be one of the greatest experiences of your life.

By Kristen Knight

©2001-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health

It’s easy for adults to think that playing is just for kids—that life is serious and time spent must be productive. But engaging in play every day will help you make the most of your time at home and at work. Play can:

• Decrease stress
• Boost the immune system
• Lift mood and fight boredom
• Increase energy and productivity
• Strengthen relationships
• Inspire creativity

Perhaps you are careful to eat right, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Why not add regular play to your self-care regimen and see how it affects you for the better?

Defining play

Play is any activity aimed at having fun. Put play into your day by doing what you think is fun.

If you need more to help you brainstorm possibilities, look back at your life. Think of your most joyful, playful memories and recall those emotions and activities. Were you happiest while coloring, dancing, wrestling, pretending, building with blocks, etc.? Play researchers have identified seven categories of play that are vital for healthy development and continued well-being:

• Attunement play: laughing together, making faces at each other, staring contests
• Body play: leaping, wiggling, dancing, climbing, and other movements
• Object play: tinkering with an appliance, building a model, skipping rocks
• Social play: board and card games, team sports, tag
• Imaginative and pretend play: charades, role-playing just for fun, daydreaming
• Storytelling-narrative play: telling campfire tales, writing poems, keeping a journal
• Creative play: painting, sculpting, making up music, inventing for the fun of it

Each person has a unique “play personality.” Certain styles of play appeal more than others. The point is to find what brings you pleasure.

Getting unstuck

Start with an honest look at your life. Are you having any fun? If not, why not? What can you do to change that? Maybe you can start with small changes such as:

• Try a game night with family and friends.
• Visit a toy store or arts supply store and see what appeals to you.
• Brainstorm a fun break at work with your co-workers. Compete in a safe, friendly office Olympics.
• Engage your child in a staring contest. Challenge your spouse to a week-long game of “got you last” pokes.
• Check your community recreational programs for dance classes or other activities you might enjoy.

Fit play in your life by doing the following:

• Make a spreadsheet listing all of your activities for a week. Note where your time goes. 
• Consider how you can reorder your time to include predictable, consistent opportunities for rest and renewal (play). 
• Put your new plan into practice. 

Be patient and stick to your plan. The benefits of rest and play will build up over time.

By Laurie M. Stewart

©2011-2022 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

• Talk about news stories that show sportsmanship or the lack of it.
• Model sportsmanship as a spectator.
• Expect sportsmanship in practice as well as games.

Children who play sports score higher in self-esteem and self-confidence. They also learn how to lead, set goals, compete under pressure, work hard, and play as a team. Statistics even show that kids who are involved in sports are less likely to use alcohol and drugs excessively or engage in other destructive behaviors.

Those are all great life skills, but are they character-building? The well-publicized crimes and misdemeanors of professional athletes and media reports of heartless coaches and screaming parents have caused many to take a look at the relationship between sports and character.

The result is a new theory on the block—that it’s sportsmanship, not sports, that builds true character. This type of character is defined by integrity, honesty, and respect for self and others.

Winning isn’t everything

How can you help your child build character through sportsmanship? First, emphasize that sports should be fun as well as serious. Winning at all costs doesn’t build character; in fact, it may destroy it. Instead, encourage children to try their best. If they win, they see the connection between hard work and results. If they lose, they can still hold their heads up high because they gave their best effort.

According to professional coaches, respect is the key ingredient in sportsmanship. Children show respect for their opponents when they play well, avoid “trash talk,” and celebrate respectfully. Under the rules of sportsmanship, children are also taught to show respect for fellow teammates and coaches, for officials, and for the rules and spirit of the game.

Tips for parents and coaches

• Talk about the concept of sportsmanship.
• Use the word “respect” often.
• Expect sportsmanship in practice as well as games.
• Establish team rules and customs that encourage sportsmanship.
• Talk about news stories that show sportsmanship or the lack of it.
• Model sportsmanship as a spectator.
• Consider a child’s physical and emotional readiness for organized sports before signing him up.

By Amy Fries

©2000-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Volunteering to help others strengthens communities, saves resources and solves problems. There are also personal advantages to helping others. Donating your time and talent to causes that you care about can improve your own health and well-being.

The health benefits of volunteering

Studies show that volunteering can make us healthier, both mentally and physically. People who volunteer at least 100 hours a year (about two hours per week) gain the most from their efforts. Volunteering can help you:

• Connect socially: Volunteering is a great way to meet people who share your values and interests. For military families who are always on the move and readjusting to new places, volunteering can help you make friends and learn about your new community.
• Feel less lonely: Studies show that people who volunteer are less likely to feel lonely and are less prone to depression. That’s due in large part to being around other people. But volunteering can also give a person a sense of purpose, which is helpful in warding off feelings of despair and sadness.   
• Lower stress levels and blood pressure: Being around like-minded people and doing meaningful work reduces heart rate and blood pressure. In short, it makes you feel good!
• Be more physically active:  Volunteering not only gets you out of the house, but it can get you moving, too. Walking dogs for the local animal shelter, tending the community garden and doing yard work for older adults in your community are all ways you can keep yourself active while helping others.

Find volunteer opportunities that are right for you

The most effective volunteers are those who are truly passionate about what they do. Before you start your search, take some time to think about what you enjoy most. If you love the outdoors, you might connect with a land conservation organization that maintains hiking trails. If animals are your passion, contact a humane society.

Another way to find meaningful volunteer work is to tap into your own interests and concerns. Maybe you’re a talented quilter. Give lessons at a youth center or nursing home. If you’re worried about dwindling funding for education or the arts, join forces with organizations that support the schools or cultural activities in your community.

If you’re not sure where to begin, consider these suggestions:

• Contact your local United Way to ask about volunteer needs.
• Go online. United We Serve allows you to learn about, sign up for and create service projects. The site is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency charged with promoting and fostering volunteering and national service in America.
• Read the volunteer listings in your local newspaper or community website.

By Sharron Luttrell, Military OneSource

Having a hobby or engaging in a leisure activity you enjoy can improve your life. It can be good for your health, mind and relationships. The right hobby can lead you to learn new skills, take pride in new accomplishments and enjoy a break from your day-to-day pressures and worries.

But how do you find a hobby if you don’t have one? Here are some ideas.

Think broadly

The range of potential hobbies and leisure activities is limitless. Consider these examples:

Arts and crafts: woodworking, quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, weaving, origami, drawing, painting, photography, computer programs for graphics

Food and drink: cooking (learning a new style of ethnic or regional cooking, or trying all the recipes from a cookbook), baking bread, fermentation, brewing beer, smoking meat and fish, canning and preserving

Music, dance and performance: playing an instrument, singing, dance, acting, exploring a particular genre of music

Writing: writing short stories or poetry, documenting family history, journaling

Nature and the out-of-doors: gardening, birding, plant and mushroom identification, spotting and identifying animal tracks, hiking, camping, boating, fishing, raising houseplants

Physical activity: cycling, running, walking, swimming, yoga, lifting weights, playing basketball or tennis, rollerblading, golfing

Puzzles and games: crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, card or board games, playing pool or billiards

Collecting: coins, stamps, antiques, postcards, buttons, beach glass or whatever strikes your fancy

Animals and pets: horseback riding, animal grooming or training, keeping an aquarium or terrarium

Volunteering: helping at an animal rescue center, your local library, a youth center, or a senior citizens’ center; teaching English as a second language; helping recent immigrants with resettlement

Exploring history: genealogy, re-enactment, visiting historic sites, learning about the history of your community

Repair and restoration: furniture restoration, restoring a vintage motor vehicle, home repair and restoration, fixing old electronic equipment

Personal growth: learning a foreign language, meditation, attending a religious study group or educational lectures

Give it a few tries

The way to get started with any activity is to try it. Because picking up a new hobby or leisure activity typically involves learning new skills, give it a few tries. If, after three or four tries, the activity is still frustrating or boring, try something else. It can take a few tries before you find an activity you really enjoy and that fully absorbs your attention.

Think about what interests and engages you

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do? Now might be the time to try it.

Did you have an interest or hobby as a child, teenager, or young adult — before the commitments of work and parenting took hold — that you could pick up again or that might be the inspiration for a new hobby?

How do you like to spend your time? Are there activities that you settle into happily and can cause you to lose your sense of time? These might lead you to an enjoyable and absorbing hobby.

Try something new

Another way to find a hobby is to take a leap into the unknown:

Try something you’ve never done before. It’s a sure way to open the door to new learning and skills, and you may discover new interests and new sides of yourself.

Try something that’s the opposite of what you think you’re good at. If you tend to choose precise and neat activities, try something loose and messy. If you’ve always thought you had no ear for music, try learning to play an instrument. If you lead a mostly sedentary life, try something active and strenuous, like rock climbing.

Find an activity that makes you forget about your day

As you consider and try different hobbies and leisure activities, look for one that fully absorbs your attention. The perfect activity is one that allows you to enter a state of flow, in which you’re so intent on what you’re doing that you lose track of time. When you’re that involved in an activity you enjoy, your day-to-day worries melt away, and you free yourself from your normal stresses and tensions. That’s one of the most important benefits of a good hobby.

Only you can tell what hobby or activity is right for you, and only you will know when you’ve found one that gives you that stress-relieving sense of enjoyment.

©2022 Workplace Options

Summary

• Before pursuing training for a new job, make sure you have a good idea of what you want to do.
• For a hobby, make sure it brings pleasure and meaning to your life before you invest in all its accompanying paraphernalia.

Soon-to-be graduates are not the only ones learning new skills these days. Older adults also are seeking new opportunities for both work and pleasure. Take Irene, who at age 53 decided to pursue a new career after 30 years as a homemaker. Or Ben, a 65-year-old retiree whose job as an investment banker left little time to pursue an interest in woodworking. If you, too, are thinking about learning a new skill, consider this advice.

Learning skills for a second (or third or fourth … ) career

When it comes to learning a new skill for purposes of employment, make sure you have a good idea of what you want to do. Acquiring proper training can be expensive, which is why you should assess your interests and make sure you know what type of preparation is required before jumping into a training program.

Also, bear in mind that some jobs have conditions that may not be acceptable to you. Irene, for example, loves to bake and so she pursued a specialized certificate through a local community college without thinking much about the life of a professional baker. After she completed the program, she was discouraged to find that most shifts in her field begin in the wee hours of the morning. To help think things through, ask yourself questions such as:

• Do I want to work alone or with people?
• Do I want to do something physical or is a desk job more my speed?
• Do I prefer 9-to-5 hours or would on-call or shift work be OK?

Learning skills for a hobby

Here are some things to consider when searching for the right hobby:

• Think about what you want from a hobby—to be physical or maybe to satisfy an intellectual interest. Ben spent 35 years of his life writing memos, reading reports, and attending meetings. Although he was intellectually challenged and stimulated by his job, he knew that once he retired, whatever hobby he pursued would involve working with his hands.
• Look for a hobby that will inspire you to set goals and keep you motivated. Carol had a stressful career as the head nurse in the emergency department. She played the piano to relax and wind down. But when she retired, this musical pursuit didn’t provide the stimulus she needed in retirement.

Also, when learning a new skill, make sure it brings pleasure and meaning to your life before you invest in all its accompanying paraphernalia. Ben would be foolish to invest in a complete woodworking shop before taking a class or two to make sure this hobby is for him.

Skill-building resources

Most communities offer several resources for obtaining new skills. Depending on your goals, whether for vocational training or fun, consider these resources:

• Community colleges and other schools
• State and local departments of parks and leisure
• Local artist and craftsmen guilds
• Area merchants, such as craft or cooking stores
• Local sports or enthusiasts clubs and organizations
• Local YMCA or gym
• Distance learning and online learning programs
• Volunteer programs

By Christine P. Martin

©2000-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Source: AARP, www.aarp.org; The Joy of Not Working, 2d. ed., by Ernie J. Zelinski. Ten Speed Press, 2003; How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free by Ernie J. Zelinski. Visions International Publishing, 2009; Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose by Nancy K. Scholssberg. American Psychological Association, 2009.

Summary

• Plan fun activities with your kids.
• Reduce screen time and increase active play.
• Make it easy and fun to be active.

You might think that the goal for children to be moderately physically active for 60 minutes seems like a lot of time. Life does get busy, but it doesn’t have to stop you from moving as much as you should to stay healthy.

Make moving more a family project. Encourage everyone to think of fun things to do to get up and moving, get off the sofas, and away from the screens—especially by doing things as a family.

There are many ways to enjoy physical activity together as a family:

• Bike to the library together.
• Walk or bike to your children’s sports events to cheer for them.
• Have your children come to your sports events and cheer for you.
• Celebrate special occasions—birthdays, anniversaries—with something active, such as a hike, a volleyball game, a dance contest, or a Frisbee™ match.
• Train together for a charity walk or run.

Keep a family activity log

Encourage everyone in the family to take part. Make sure you keep up the good work by posting a physical activity list on the refrigerator.

Everyday ideas to move more

Encourage every member of your family to move more each day. Think of ways to have fun and be active at the same time. Here are some ideas to increase your family’s activity:

Make time

• Identify free times. Keep track of your daily activities for one week. Pick two 30-minute time slots you could use for family activity time.
• Add physical activity to your daily routine. For example, walk or ride your bike to work or a friend’s house, walk the dog with your children, exercise while you watch TV, or park farther away from your destination.
• Try to walk, jog, or swim during your lunch hour, or take fitness breaks instead of coffee breaks. Try doing something active after dinner with your family, or on weekends.
• Check out activities requiring little time. Try walking, jogging, or stair climbing.

Bring others into it

• Ask friends and family to support your efforts.
• Invite them to be active with you.
• Set up a party or other social event with activities that get people moving, like dancing or having a jump rope contest.
• Exercise with friends.
• Play with your kids or ask them to join you for an exercise video or fitness game.
• Develop new friendships with physically active people. Join a group, such as the YMCA or a hiking club.

Energize yourself

• Plan to be active at times in the day or week when you feel you have a lot of energy.
• Convince yourself that if you give it a chance, physical activity will increase your energy level—then try it.

Stay motivated

• Plan ahead. Make physical activity a regular part of your family’s schedule. Write it on a family activity calendar.
• Join an exercise group or class. Sign your children up for community sports teams or lessons.
• Pick activities requiring no new skills, such as walking or climbing stairs.
• Exercise with friends who are at the same skill level as you are. Create opportunities for your children to be active with friends.

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/get-active/family-active-time.htm

Summary

• Keep physically and mentally active.
• Keep learning.
• Volunteer.
• Travel if you’d enjoy it.

Newly retired people often experience an array of emotions. They may have feelings of loss, worthlessness, restlessness, anxiety, and even mild forms of depression. If you are having these feelings, you can relax—they usually disappear within the first six months following retirement. In fact, once the feelings pass, many people emerge with more energy and a better sense of purpose. Of course, if you find the feelings overwhelming and are not able to cope with them, talk with a professional counselor or doctor.

You’ll be glad to know that more than 90 percent of people who retire voluntarily find their retirement years satisfying. There are actions you can take to help ensure that you will join the crowd and enjoy your retirement.

• Keep physically active. Follow a schedule that includes getting up at the same time each morning and exercising regularly.
• Keep mentally active. Play games with others that require you to think. Try word games, crossword puzzles, and card games that require you to use your memory. Research has shown that using the brain reduces the rate of decline in function as a person ages.
• Keep learning. Age should not be a barrier to learning new things. Go back to school. Maybe you want to finally earn that degree you started years ago, or maybe you want to study something totally unrelated to what you already started. Now’s the time to take those classes that you avoided because they seemed frivolous. Many colleges and universities offer continuing education courses and reduced rates for seniors.
• Travel if it interests you. Travel doesn’t have to mean only seeing exotic places and spending lots of money. Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit a historical site in your state and never had the time before. Now’s the time. Check for special travel offers through groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) or Road Scholar, which combines education with travel.
• Volunteer your services. Now is the time to give back to the community and to reach out to those in need. Look in your community for programs such as Meals on Wheels, in which volunteers deliver meals to people who are homebound. Check out volunteer opportunities at local schools, museums, hospitals, and libraries. Maybe now is the time for you and your dog or cat to volunteer for pet therapy at the local nursing home. And there is a good chance you might be able to put all of your work experience to good use by volunteering your expertise to a nonprofit organization. Many people will benefit from your generosity, and you will feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Resources

AARP
www.aarp.org

Road Scholar
www.roadscholar.org

By Tanya Lochridge

©2000-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

• Brainstorm what you liked/disliked about previous vacations.
• Find out as much as you can about your destination ahead of time.
• Leave work at work.

We think of vacation time as an escape from our everyday world, a chance to relax, have fun, try new things, or explore new possibilities. But too often, people return from holiday more exhausted than when they left because they tried to cram too much into too little time. Are we so eager to “have it all” that we exhaust ourselves in the name of relaxation?

Plan for success

You can help ensure that everyone in your family or group gets something close to the vacation of their dreams:

1. Brainstorm about what you liked/disliked about previous trips and what you want or need from this one. What is the goal for this vacation? A good holiday finds a balance between activity and rest, between comfort and adventure.
2. Do some research. Find out as much as you can about the chosen destination: What are the costs? What are the crowds like? Are options available for all family members?
3. Plan. Make a list of activities to do, places to visit, things to see. Remember that this is a list of possibilities, not demands. Choose wisely.
4. Once you arrive, remember your goal for the trip, and remember everyone else has a goal. If you need to rest and relax, stay behind sometimes. If you like to keep moving, don’t expect everyone else to be with you every minute. Get what you need from the holiday: Don’t do what you think you should do.
5. If possible, plan to arrive home early enough to spend a full day unwinding and making the transition back to reality.

Holiday time for the person who works all the time

For a person who works all the time, vacation time can be very stressful. Many Americans check in with their place of business while on vacation. Some dread vacations because they work overtime to prepare for their absence, then work to catch up after they return. Typically, business owners and managers find it difficult to leave work: They forget that the whole idea is to escape. If you live with or are a person who works nonstop, here are some tips for you:

• Keep family time and work time separate. A more balanced life will make it easier to judge what is a crisis and what can wait. You can be more productive both at work and at home.
• Remember that you are creating memories. Do you want your spouse or child to remember you frolicking in the waves with them or in the hotel room on the phone?
• Stop believing that your workplace can’t survive without you. Leave a clear list of projects and their status, prepare your co-workers for your absence, and empower someone to make decisions.
• Remember that the point of a vacation is recreation and renewal so you can return energized and with greater creativity.

Vacation at home

If you cannot afford to go away, or don’t want to, you can still have a holiday. With creative thinking and planning, it can be fun, eye-opening, and restful.

• Splurge on take-out foods so you can “pretend” you are in a hotel.
• Explore a new hobby you never had time for, or teach your passion to your kids.
• Visit relatives or friends you don’t see often enough.
• Return to childhood pastimes such as fishing, hiking, or biking.
• Explore your own city or countryside as a tourist would. Most people never experience the nearby sites that others come hundreds of miles to see. Start with the Visitor’s Center or Chamber of Commerce and learn the history and wonder of your own backyard.
• Send your kids to camp and stay home alone. You might rediscover your spouse.

The key to a great vacation is to be clear about what you need from it, then plan to achieve that goal.

By Allyson Johns

©2000-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Source: For the Busy, Vacation Time Actually Means Stress Time by Bob D. McDonald and Don Hutcheson, Atlanta Business Chronicle, 1997; American City Business Journals, Inc.;

Summary

• Make a budget and stick to it.
• Rely on checklists.
• Make a time schedule for the week leading up to your party.

Hosting a party is a great way to spend time with people you like and to show them you care. With careful planning and attention to details, your party will be just as much fun for you as it is for your guests.

As soon as you have chosen the date and time, make and stick to a plan for organizing the party. This is the key to a successful event. Think about how you want your party to look and feel, and be realistic in your vision.

Steps for stress-free party planning

• Make a budget and stick to it, whether you’re planning a small dinner or large reception.
• Experienced party givers rely on checklists to be sure everything gets done. On one list, include everything you plan to serve, including homemade and purchased foods and drinks and ingredients for all. From this, make your shopping list. Refer often to your lists to stay organized.
• On paper, do a step-by-step plan for the party. What will you serve? How and where will you serve? Diagram your serving table with platters or serving pieces. For small groups, determine where you will put the cooked food during and after serving. Plan seating arrangements, furniture arrangement, and any table decorations.
• Invite people you like to be with. They’re sure to find things in common with each other. Your invitation should have a “please respond by…” date so you know how many guests will actually be there. Consider including the ending time on the invitation, and consider whether you should provide directions and parking information.
• Before planning your menu, check with your guests about any food restrictions. Serve foods you like. If using new recipes, try them first on family or friends. Prepare and freeze ahead as much as possible.
• Decide on beverages, and provide choices for everyone. Go easy on alcoholic drinks so guests will appreciate what you’ve cooked. Sparkling grape juice provides a festive alternative. Remember to have plenty of ice.
• Exercise and get as much sleep as you can while you are planning. Try to relax. Share nervousness with a sympathetic friend.
• Keep last-minute hassles to a minimum. Several days before your party, check to be sure you have enough glasses, plates, forks, knives, or other necessary items. Do housecleaning ahead to save energy for the party. Provide space for guests’ coats. Remember extra bathroom tissue and towels.
• Make a time schedule for the week leading up to your party. If anyone offers help, accept graciously.
• Use your checklist to be sure that all is in place several hours before the party. Put the menu and accessories list, time plan, and cooking times where you can easily see them before and during the party.
• Do a final check of the set up. Then take a warm shower, put your feet up, get dressed and enjoy your party. While you’re enjoying the success of this party, you’ll probably be looking for another occasion to celebrate.

By Ellen Gold

©1999-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

The expression “pay it forward” is a common one, but what does it mean? And does it really work? If you want to make a positive change in your life it just might be this simple−think about what would make you smile, and then do that very thing for someone else.

Right where you need to be

You are most likely right where you need to be in order to help others and yourself. Take a look at those in your immediate circle: family, co-workers, neighbors, and friends. Pay attention to what they need and how you can make their life a little brighter. Make the time to help your elderly neighbors take shopping bags into their house. Offer to bring in a coffee for a co-worker who is having a rough time. Reach out to your mom and tell her you love her.

Most people—just like you—want to be reassured in life. You can extend small amounts of kindness to strangers by slowing down at a crosswalk, opening the door to a building or just saying hello. As simple as these gestures sound, it shows people that they matter. It might be just enough to change the course of someone’s day. And that someone could be you. It feels good to hear a “thank you” or a “hello” back.

A little gratitude goes a long way

Depending on your interests, you might have people you have looked up to over the years. This could be a favorite teacher or writer, your high school coach, or a local shop owner. People love to hear how they have touched others’ lives. There are so many ways to contact people. Reach out to them via social media, regular mail, a phone call, or an in-person visit, just to let them know how much their influence has meant to you. Think about how great it would feel to get a handwritten note or invitation to lunch from someone you influenced in the past.

Volunteers wanted

If you are interested in donating your time, there are charities all around you that would gladly take your help. Check VolunteerMatch for a list of interesting ideas. Even if you can’t donate your time, you can give to organizations that take clothing and household items to promote charities like animal welfare and independence for those with disabilities. If you are getting a new piece of furniture or your child has outgrown her tricycle, find another local family who could use it. Websites like Freecycle can help you to find people within your community. You can also reach out to your local schools, churches, non-profit thrift stores, and civic league.

Don’t forget about you

Remember to treat yourself, too. A little self-compassion can go a long way. Make note of negative thoughts and feelings that you internalize and let them go. Accept that you are flawed, like all humans. It’s OK to make mistakes. Smile at yourself in the mirror and treat yourself like you would like to be treated by others. You can test how self-compassionate you are through this quiz.

Sometimes it’s hard to find the time or energy to make a positive change. But there are many small strides you can make to pay it forward to friends, family, your community and even yourself. Letting your positivity radiate throughout your daily life will enrich your being. Let yourself shine.

By Andrea Rizzo, MFA

©2015-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

• Find names and dates ahead of time.
• Jot down stories you’ve heard before.
• Develop questions to ask.
• Collect items such as photographs, mementos, family bible, etc.

“I’ve heard that same old story a hundred times,” says Kelly of her grandmother’s fondest memory. “But after making the decision to document my family history, I listened to the story with new ears. I asked my grandmother how she felt, why the memory was particularly meaningful to her. These questions revealed a side of her I’d never seen and opened up a treasure trove of family stories to be enjoyed by future generations.”

Why reminisce?

By encouraging older relatives to reminisce, Kelly received far more than a glimpse of her family’s past, however. Explains Kelly, “Their stories helped me get to know the personalities of my ancestors–like who was the disciplinarian or who was a real free spirit–and helped me to feel more connected to my own family, which is now scattered all over the country. I can also see how past events and family traits shaped my parents’ lives, my own, and even my children’s.”

For Kelly’s older family members, sharing life stories was also a very positive experience. Gerontologists who have studied the effects of life review report these benefits:

• Improves mental and emotional fitness
• Boosts self-esteem and promotes self-acceptance
• Empowers older people to deal with the challenges facing them in later life
• Provides feeling of worth
• Provides opportunity to accept and move beyond past events and relationships that were sources of unhappiness or regret
• Prevents depression and loneliness

Getting started

Let your family know your interest in learning more about their lives and ask what method of recording their personal stories is preferred. Kelly chose to preserve her family history by audio recording interviews with family members. You can also video or ask family members to write down special memories.

Do your fact-finding, such as names and dates, ahead of time. Jot down the stories you’ve heard mentioned before. Identify the major historical events that occurred during your family members’ lifetimes. Use this information to develop the questions you will ask. Collect such items as photographs, mementos, family bible, newspaper headlines, music, or floor plan of a family home to trigger memory. Areas to explore include:

• Family background
• Childhood
• High school
• Young adulthood
• Careers
• Friends
• Marriage
• Parenting
• Grandparenting
• Retirement

Interviewing pointers:

• Keep the interview casual and conversational.
• Realize that memories are not always accurate.
• Ask open-ended questions that focus on feelings. Instead of “Describe your family,” ask, “How did you feel being the oldest of 12 children?”
• Ask to recall smells, sounds, and tastes, which can be very effective at triggering memory.
• Summarize what you’ve been told to clarify and keep the interview on track.
• Be flexible. Use your questions as a guide because some of the best stories are revealed through digressions.
• Be an active listener, showing your interest through gestures and positive feedback.
• Be empathetic and supportive. Some memories are not pleasant and may stir up emotions that catch the speaker off guard. Give the speaker plenty of time to quietly think about if and how to respond. Don’t push someone who is resistant to answering.
• Take frequent breaks or consider breaking up the interview into hour-long segments stretched over a period of time.
• Provide starting points for those who want to share their stories on paper. Examples could be: “Tell me about your wedding day” or “What was it like when Uncle Joe left for the war?”

Resources

AARP
888-687-2277
www.aarp.org

Publish Your Family History: Preserving Your Heritage in a Book by Susan Yates. Dundurn Press, 2010.

By Christine P. Martin

©2001-2019 Carelon Behavioral Health

Source: AARP, www.aarp.org; To Our Childrenﾒs Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come by Bob Greene and D.G. Fulford. Doubleday, 1993; Keeping Family Stories Alive by Vera

Summary

• Involve the whole family with the details.
• Add some education.
• Leave some pocket money.
• Don’t over schedule.

The family vacation provides a great opportunity to relax, spend quality time with your children, and have some fun.

Good planning is key to a family vacation that relieves stress rather than causes it. Here are a few tips for planning a successful family vacation.

Involve the whole family, especially teens

Incorporating the interests and opinions of all family members will ensure that you create a family trip that appeals to everyone. Present a few options and invite the children to participate in the decision-making process. Being involved will foster a sense of responsibility for the success of the trip and will help them to feel vested in the choices made. Moreover, a child will learn important communication and decision-making skills.

Add some education

Part of the value of the family vacation is that it allows a child to see and experience new things. Researching the trip can be fun when everyone participates. Older children and teens can search the Internet and go to the library and bookstores to research the destinations. Your child will also learn educational skills: gaining knowledge about geography and learning how to read roadmaps and guidebooks.

Before the trip, give your child a blank travel journal and encourage her to document the trip from the planning process to the return home. Give your child her own camera so that she can take photos during the trip to share with friends and classmates upon return.

Leave some pocket money

You may feel pressure to plan an elaborate vacation, especially if your child has friends whose families have taken expensive trips. If you spend all of your vacation money on transportation and lodging, you may find yourself with little spending money left over. Having to pinch pennies on vacation will only cause you stress. Choose a destination that is easily within your budget, leaving plenty of pocket money for those extra goodies that make a vacation a vacation. Some families like to give children their own budgets for pocket money. By involving the child in part of the budget-planning process, he learns valuable skills: how to make a budget and how to stay within one.

Let children help with the details

Preparing to leave home for even a week can cause anxiety for parents and children. Knowing that the day-to-day details are being looked after helps lessen these fears. Take your child to the post office when you ask to have your mail held. Bring him with you to the neighbor when you leave a key to water the plants. Have her go to the kennel with you to make arrangements for the family pet. Some children feel more at ease when they know that things are being taken care of while they are away.

Do not over schedule

Fight the urge to pack as much as possible into every day. While taking in all the sights may seem like the best way to get the most out of your vacation, it will likely leave everyone feeling drained and cranky. Choose a few activities and attractions that you do not want to miss. Allow time for relaxing, going for dips in the pool, or taking a leisurely walk.

When those stressful moments do arise, remind yourself that as long as you spend relaxed, quality time with your family, the vacation will have been a success.

©2000-2019 Boston College. Center for Work and Family. All rights reserved.Although Boston College, Center for Work and Family makes every effort to ensure that this information is accurate at the time of writing, the information is subject to change over time. Boston College, Center for Work and Family does not endorse any products or services advertised on this website and holds no equity or financial interest in the site’s operators.

Source: Communication Student Learning by TR Guskey (Ed.). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996; “Let’s take a trip!” by Rita Newman. Association for Childhood Education International, 72, 296-8, 1996; “More Than a Reunion: The Best Way to Plan a Vacation for Your Extended Family,” Parents Magazine, 72, 200, June 1997; Pruitt, DB (Ed). Your Child. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 193-4, 1998.

Want to have fun while helping others? Volunteering can be a rewarding and challenging experience, especially if you commit yourself wisely. Many volunteers insist that they actually receive more than they give.

Match your interests and goals with the right organization and you’ll maximize what you give and what you receive. Here are some guidelines:

Find the right cause

There are so many worthy organizations that it can be difficult to decide where to volunteer. Remember that volunteering often is more rewarding when you commit to a cause that’s particularly meaningful to you. Always loved reading and can’t imagine life without books? Consider donating time to a literacy group. Have a passion for pets? See if your local animal shelter needs dog walkers. Make a list of your interests and experiences, and then look for corresponding organizations.

Consider your skills and personality

Once you decide where you’d like to volunteer, give some thought to exactly what you’d like to do. Try to find a position that will use your talents and suit your personality—whether you love working with children or enjoy designing websites. Also, if there’s a skill you’d like to develop, such as public speaking or editing, let the organization know about your interest and look for opportunities to develop it. Volunteering is a great way to acquire valuable job skills while helping a worthy cause.

Check your schedule

How much time can you commit and how often can you volunteer? Let the organization know up front whether you’re available every weekend, once a month, or for special events. Consider your availability when deciding where to volunteer since different organizations have different expectations.

Be a virtual volunteer

Don’t have time to leave your home? You can still help. If you have computer skills, look into volunteering online. You  may be able to help others using a work or home computer and the Internet. “Virtual volunteers” might conduct Internet research, design a logo, update a website, or conduct a survey via e-mail—and it can all be done from your home computer!

Make it a family event

Volunteering as a family can be a great way of spending time together while showing your kids the importance of community service. Start with a short-term commitment, such as helping at a one-day event, and work toward volunteering together regularly.

By Lauren Greenwood

©2000-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health

Summary

Not only does volunteering give you a personal sense of satisfaction, it helps develop self-esteem and boosts energy levels.

If you’re a volunteer, you probably have one or two personal reasons for why you do it. Maybe you want to give back to your community, support a cause you feel strongly about, or meet people who share your interests and values. Maybe you just do it for fun.

Whatever your reason, while you’re busy dedicating your time to helping others, you are benefiting, too.

Research has shown that volunteering provides individual health benefits. Those who volunteer have lower mortality rates and lower rates of depression later in life.

Researchers aren’t exactly sure why volunteering is so beneficial, but they think it may be because it provides meaning and purpose in people’s lives. Not only does volunteering give someone a personal sense of satisfaction, it helps develop self-esteem and boosts energy levels. Consider these findings from research over the years:

• Older volunteers are most likely to receive greater health benefits from volunteering.
• Volunteering leads to greater life satisfaction and lower rates of depression.
• Individuals who volunteer live longer.

Finding what’s right for you

Think volunteering sounds like too much work? The great thing about it is that it can be fun—there are thousands of options to choose from. Consider volunteering with a friend or family member. Think of your skills, what you enjoy and what’s important to you. If you’re not outgoing and the idea of serving soup at a homeless shelter or organizing a social event for your church makes you nervous, consider helping someone learn to read. If you love kids, look into the Special Olympics. If you’re not the athletic type, spend time visiting residents of a nursing home. There’s something for everyone.

Volunteer resources

There are many organizations that need volunteers. The resources below can help you get started.

Resources

American Red Cross

AmeriCorps

Citizen Corps Council

Community Emergency Response Teams

Easter Seals Society

Habitat for Humanity

United Way

VolunteerMatch

Volunteer.gov

By Melanie O’Brien

©2013-2021 Carelon Behavioral Health