An ongoing blog series on rewarding ways to spend your time.
While retirement is something we work toward for a long time, do we know how to spend it? Residents of a senior or retirement community like Southgate at Shrewsbury are usually entering a more free-flowing phase of life. Although there are less restrictions on your time, this transition from a regimented, career-oriented lifestyle can be difficult.
No two people are the same, and no two retirements are the same! Finding a retirement community that provides a diverse range of activities and opportunities will allow you to explore and find the perfect retirement for you. At Southgate at Shrewsbury, we are constantly enhancing our community amenities, programs and events to provide quality options for our residents. We provide extensive on-campus and off-campus activities, such as trips to museums, theaters and outdoor events. Speaking of theaters, we have our own 200-seat theater (complete with a balcony!) where residents can attend presentations by scholars and authors, as well as live professional musical and theatrical performances.
Although there are so many activities provided through our programs, there are many other endeavors that can make your retirement years even more fulfilling. If you are inclined to spend your time helping others, this installment of our ongoing blog series is for you.
Mentoring Others: Leaving Your Mark on Future Generations
Mentoring programs could be an excellent fit if you enjoy spending time around young people, are a good listener and want to make a lasting impact on future generations. Becoming a mentor is an excellent way to be involved with the community and spend quality time outside the retirement community campus. There are many programs to choose from both nationally and locally in central Massachusetts. Our focus here will be on some local to Southgate at Shrewsbury, but there are also comprehensive databases available that cover both Massachusetts-based and national-by-zip-code mentorship programs.
- LUK, Inc.: LUK started in 1970 with a 24/7 telephone hotline staffed by volunteers and has since grown to serve and impact over 15,000 youth and families with a variety of services. Its program pairs Worcester County youth ages 3–17 with mentors. For more information: http://mentoring.luk.org/
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass & Metrowest: Big Brothers Big Sisters offers a variety of mentorship programs all over the country. In central Massachusetts, retirees can take advantage of its Community-Based Mentoring Program for youth ages 6–12, or the Mazie Mentoring Program to help high-school youth at risk of not reaching their full potential. For more information: https://bbbscm.org/our-programs
- ACE—African Community Education: ACE provides services to children and families that come from African countries with large gaps in their education. Over 95% of students enrolled in its programs graduate high school, and many have gone on to attend colleges like Brandeis University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. For more information about mentoring with ACE: https://www.africancommunityeducation.org/Get-Involved/?view=mentor
- HOPE—House of Peace & Education, Inc.: Located in Gardner, HOPE offers mentorship services and training to children with social, behavioral or academic challenges, as well as those from difficult or impoverished home conditions. In addition, the organization also provides support and job training for adult women seeking to escape domestic violence. To learn more: http://www.hopegardner.org/volunteer-opportunities.html
Mentoring future generations is an excellent way to give back to your community and provide them with the wisdom of your life experience. Throughout Worcester County, the state of Massachusetts and the entire country, there are numerous opportunities to join mentoring programs and find more fulfillment in your retirement.
We’ll wrap up this series about engaging retirement activities with Part V.