Elder abuse takes many forms — physical, emotional, financial, and sexual — and can come at the hands of strangers, family, and trusted caregivers or advisers. Studies estimate that 10 percent of America's seniors experience some kind of abuse and neglect, although it's generally agreed that incidents are under-identified and under-reported. For example, the New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study found that for every case known to programs and agencies, 24 were unknown.

The unusual storm was preceded by milder temperatures that surged northward ahead of it which allowed snow that was already on the ground to melt, ice on rivers to break up, and brought additional precipitation in the form of rain. The impact of this weather forced many evacuations, including a third of the 24,000 residents in Norfolk, Nebraska, due to concerns of flooding as the city's levee system neared its top.

Nearly 120 national service members responded during the disaster response in Nebraska from our CNCS programs.

More than 80 percent of volunteers surveyed reported feeling healthier and less socially isolated after serving in Senior Corps. Older adults are more likely to face physical, financial, or social barriers to volunteering, but Senior Corps provides opportunities that accommodate exceptional needs and make it possible for seniors to reengage as active community members.

The Benefits of National Service

The Benefits of Senior Corps Service

How do I know this? We conducted a rigorous, independent study of more than 1,000 of our Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteers across a three-year period to determine if their service had any effect on their overall health and well-being. The results of the study were astounding and confirmed what we had long suspected – volunteering in Senior Corps bears tremendous health benefits. 

Admiral Gay (pictured above, right) is the Senior Advisor for Wounded Warrior and Veterans and Military Families Initiatives at CNCS and says a lot of what he does is rooted in establishing trust, building relationships, and leading change, all of which fall under his concept of mentorship.

These traits come naturally to the Admiral as a leader of men and women in the armed forces. He willingly shares his life story, using wall-mounted photos of family and friends to illustrate his points, “I like people to have the whole story; it extends an arm of trust.”