One key reason is that many people haven’t found an involvement that creates passion for them. Or they may not see the value of involvement or may have lost passion for it and need to be brought back. Sometimes people work hard for something for a long time and then get tired of it, so the freshness is lost. It doesn’t mean they can’t be brought back in different ways, however.
Finally, there may be seniors who either need time to recoup their energy and interest or who have not yet reached a point where they are ready for civic engagement:
I think some people have the issue of going overboard and getting very tired. They need to find time and space to replenish and achieve a balance in their lives. No matter if it’s working with a Hospice patient or handling the mail, forty hours a week is more than plenty.
After retiring I informed my wife that my first year was going to be given to enjoying our beautiful environment here. And I did that. Then I decided I was ready and acted on my belief that there is more to life than fishing and playing tennis and golf. So I got involved.
Virtually all the senior sages know persons in the community who possess sage leadership qualities but are far removed from being civically engaged. Senior sages describe them as affable, generous, and knowledgeable persons but voice frustration in not being able to motivate them: “So why can’t I get them involved? Why don’t they readily recognize the personal benefits that can come from civic engagement? Why don’t they perk-up when I say that my soul is being fed by the volunteer work I am doing? I care about these people and know that civic engagement can offer a wonderful path to renewed physical, mental and even spiritual health.” Senior sages wish they had answers to these questions and speculate about possible reasons for non-engagement.
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