Older Adults and the Environment

By Paula J. Fenza

According to a report appearing in the latest issue of Public Policy & Aging Report (PPAR), a publication of The Gerontological Society of America, volunteering for environmental protection activities can be physically and mentally sustaining for older people. In fact, this demographic group is in a unique position to have a noticeable impact on its surroundings.

For older adults looking to fill meaningful roles in the community after retirement, volunteerism provides many opportunities for social engagement. In particular, the programs of environmental organizations routinely bring together people of different generations, allowing for a multi-generational sharing of ideas and activities. Moreover, many environmental programs involve healthy physical activity, such as the testing of rivers or clean-up of natural areas.

In the PPAR article titled "Gray + Green," the authors examine the prospects and promise for environmental volunteerism and civic engagement among older persons and provide direction for encouraging this movement. The ongoing increase in the number of older U.S. citizens, coupled with a senior population seeking meaningful participation in society, can greatly serve environmental protection efforts. Going Green

Even the federal government has begun to tap this resource. For more than five years, the Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative has provided opportunities for older adults to become environmental stewards in their own communities.

Additionally, older people are beginning to develop a more complex relationship with their surroundings. Public health research suggests there are a number of environmental problems that disproportionately compromise the health of the older population. This group is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of air pollution, temperature extremes, and major weather events. America's older adults are also beginning to have a greater effect on the environment through greater recreational travel, an increase in pharmaceutical waste, and the growth of independent and assisted living facilities. Involving older adults in awareness of, and involvement in, environmental protection programs not only fosters healthy aging, it also allows older adults to have a meaningful impact on the world around them.

Source: 2008. Gray + Green = Win/Win for Local Communities. Public Policy and Aging Report 18(2).

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