the dr. James Beckerman (center) and colleagues on the Providence mission to Guatemala before the pandemic
Heal it forward
At the Providence Heart to Start program, the motto is to heal it forward. This wonderful and compelling vision inspires the programs directed by Dr. To see also : Patient care assessment. James Beckerman, cardiologist with Providence Health Institute, who uses the power of community and movement to help people become their best and healthiest selves together. As part of Beckerman’s focus on holistic wellness, he recently hosted the Heart to Start podcast on service and volunteering.
“One of the most impactful ways to help yourself is to help someone else.”
-Dr. James Beckerman, Cardiologist, Providence Health Institute
“Self-help is a lonely journey at times. Helping others can make you healthier along the way,” says Beckerman. That’s right – not only does volunteering create thriving communities – it’s also been shown to have many health benefits
Doing good does help you feel better
In a recent podcast, Dr. Beckerman and Brittn Gray about the health benefits of volunteering. Beckerman and Gray first met on a service immersion trip to Guatemala, forming a friendship with service at its core. On the same subject : Here’s What Happens To Men Who Grow Beards, According To Science. Gray is the executive director of Global and Domestic Immersion Programs at Providence. She provides direction for Providence’s global partnerships and system-level volunteer efforts.
There were many takeaways from their conversation. Read on to find out how volunteering can be part of his healing as well as improving your own well-being.
Volunteering for Impact
Since our nation’s founding, volunteerism has played a major role in American civic life and culture. Volunteering connects people to each other and to the issues facing their communities. See the article : Health-Department-Announces-Latest-Distribution-of Monkeypox Vaccines. By providing a common cause, volunteering can help “unite people of different races, ages, religions and genders together.”
In the latest Current Population Survey (CPS), they found that 30% of Americans, or 77.9 million people, volunteered their time to an organization or association in 2019. These volunteers reported serving about 5.8 billion hours, worth an estimated $147 billion i. economic value.
This volunteer work has a significant impact on our communities. An active volunteer base in a region can increase its resilience in times of need or crisis. In low-income and under-resourced areas, volunteering can strengthen communities by building stronger social networks. Overall, volunteering is considered to play a role in fostering a sense of identity for a community as well as a stronger sense of connection.
Volunteering improves physical health
Research shows that people who return to their communities have better overall health, greater life satisfaction, fewer hospitalizations, higher self-esteem, and a greater ability to manage their own chronic illnesses. Volunteering can even reduce your risk of high blood pressure, depression, and chronic pain.
The best part? This research shows that volunteering is particularly beneficial for older people.
Volunteering enhances one’s sense of purpose
Physical health and mental health go hand in hand. And mental health is linked to a sense of purpose.
For many, serving others provides purpose.
“Volunteering gives us a sense of purpose because it shows us our place in the world and our interconnectedness with others. We are not a separate community; we are a web of human family.” Gray said.
We embrace this here at Providence. Since 2012, the Providence Global and Domestic (GDE) department has partnered to impact health through programs and service that honor the leadership, expertise and goals of communities around the globe. We live out our vision for health for a better world by responding to the root causes of disparities and working through local partnership to correct the health inequalities created by colonialism. Carers participate in volunteer work throughout our home communities as well as with partners in countries such as Guatemala, Malawi and Nigeria. Learn more about this work here.
Volunteering strengthens organizations
Other organizations have also seen the benefits of encouraging employee volunteering.
Ninety-six percent of employee volunteers report a greater sense of purpose in their lives after volunteering. They feel they have an impact on their communities. They gain control over their own lives and begin to think differently about supervision and work responsibilities. In addition, they feel more connected to team members.
Brittn Gray (left) with colleague Gladis Juc from Medical Teams International on a service trip she shared with Dr. Beckerman
Volunteering bolsters connection
Volunteering is based on solidarity at its best. It is not a matter of helping others, but of serving them. Service, says Gray, is about members of the same human family coming together in partnership to work toward shared goals. This makes each other meaningful.
Gray had a powerful personal experience as a volunteer for Providence hospice care. Her job was to call people whose loved ones had died while in the hospice. She asked how they were doing and connected them to Providence hospice’s grief counseling services. Many strangers opened their hearts to her.
“I would leave the facility where I did that volunteer work feeling so alive,” says Gray. Opportunities for service and connection “kindle a fire within [us] of compassion, gratitude, and a desire to walk with one another,” she noted.
Volunteering encourages presence
Volunteering takes us out of our everyday lives, helping us live in the present. This effect is true whether you are speaking to someone grieving a tragic loss or filling boxes at a food bank.
“You’re part of those moments and so in tune with them. People talk about being distracted by their jobs sometimes, but people don’t get distracted when they volunteer. There’s something bigger than what they’re dealing with,” says Beckerman.
Volunteering reduces stress
It is well known that chronic stress can cause a range of health issues. Volunteering can help reduce stress.
“There’s a lot of data out there that volunteering and service is good for your mind and body,” says Gray. The people she talks to after their volunteering experiences also report those benefits.
Gray herself agrees. Many, including Grey, feel inspired and heartened by the ways others overcome their obstacles.
“I’m inspired by opportunities for presence and connection that are outside of my day-to-day,” says Gray. “It helps me realize that my problems are small or that I have the strength to overcome them. All of that works to reduce my stress, improve my sleep and [helps me] get back to making a difference.”
How to get involved
Volunteering opportunities are all around us.
“You can find these opportunities wherever you are. Maybe as part of your workplace, but in other places as well,” says Beckerman.
Why not get a chance to serve today? There is a volunteer opportunity for every skill set, from teaching students to building houses. Start with a quick Google search: “Volunteer opportunities near me.” VolunteerMatch and the United Way are also great sources to connect you with your next service activity.
It will strengthen public health and your health too.
Visit our Annual Report to our Communities page
To learn more about what we’re doing to help our caregivers and other community partners, see our Annual Report for our Communities.
Related resources
The power of partnership: strengthening global health, together
SeaView recovery housing offers individuals a safe place to heal
How Providence fostered successful global partnerships in a pandemic
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow the instructions of your health care professional.
