Helping older adults can bring up both positive and negative emotions.

The rewards people feel from helping older adults can include:

• Being proud about doing their best to help
• Giving back to someone who helped them
• Finding new meaning or purpose in life
• Feeling needed or appreciated
• Growing in their skills and confidence
• Developing closer relationships

Helpers can also:

• Learn useful, practical information
• Develop personal strengths
• Understand their own aging and options better
• Make connections with individuals and organizations
• Gain new perspective on their own priorities

People are more likely to benefit from helping older adults when they:

• Value their relationship with the older adult
• Respect the older adult’s knowledge, abilities and wishes
• Support the older adult’s goals and decisions
• Have support from their family and friends
• Understand when things are beyond their control
• Look for positives and lessons learned from challenging situations
• Give themselves credit for all they do
• Manage their stress and take care of themselves

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