The following information has been prepared as a complement to the “Retirement Reimaged” workshop held on May 20, 2026, at The Cabot as part of their Community Conversations series.
AARP Recommendations
AARP Online Community Groups (Virtual community groups which reflect a variety of interests).
How to Overcome Fear of Retirement by Sharon Jayson (2023) (a quick and easy online article).
Reframing Retirement: 5 Weeks to Gain the Clarity and Roadmap You Need to Design What Comes Next. An online course offered by Modern Elders Academy
Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World (2020) by Vivek H. Murthy (an easy-to-read book).
Aspirational Reading
On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, & Getting Old (2018) by Parker J. Palmer
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife (2025) by Anna Johnson
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ¼ Years Old (2018) by Hendrick Groen
Theo of Golden (2025) by Allen Levi
What You are Looking for Is in the Library: A Life Affirming Story About Finding Hope, Purpose and Connection (2023) by Michiko Aoyama
Practicing Positivity
Foundations of Positive Psychology Specialization taught by Martin Seligman et al. at the University of Pennsylvania (an online course offered by Coursera).
Greater Good in Action: Science-Based Practices for a Meaningful Life (a great website with easy-to-follow exercises).
More Activities for Teaching Positive Psychology: A guide for Instructors (2024) by Sarah Pressman and Acadia Parks (Eds.) (It may say it is for instructors, but the exercises are easy to follow and can be quite powerful).
The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life you Want (2007) by Sonja Lybomirsky (Easy-to-read book with easy exercises).
Volunteering Resources
SeniorCare Volunteers of the North Shore
Seniorcare provides meaningful volunteer opportunities that foster connection, compassion, and community engagement. No matter your background, skills, or interests, SeniorCare will help you find a volunteer opportunity that’s meaningful to you. Whether you’re looking for an ongoing role, a short-term project, or a one-time event, they offer flexible options to fit your schedule. Their team provides personalized, one-on-one support to help you find the perfect fit.
CoGenerate (Formerly Encore.org)
CoGenerate focuses on the “second act” of life, encouraging older adults to use their professional skills for social good. They specialize in intergenerational projects, bringing older and younger generations together to solve community problems. It is an excellent resource for those looking for high-impact, leadership-oriented volunteer roles.
AARP: Create the Good
AARP’s “Create the Good” platform is a massive database designed to make it easy to find volunteer opportunities that fit a specific schedule or skill set. It allows users to search by interest—such as hunger, housing, or education—and includes options for both in-person and “micro-volunteering” (short tasks that can be done from home).
The Transition Network (TTN)
While primarily a community for women over 50, TTN is excellent for those looking for “high-level” volunteering during life transitions. They focus on professional-grade service, such as board placement or strategic consulting for non-profits. It’s less about “boots on the ground” and more about using executive-level skills to help organizations scale.
VolunteerMatch: Senior Portal
VolunteerMatch is the largest network in the U.S., but their Senior-specific filter is what makes it valuable. You can specifically search for “Seniors” as a cause area or a volunteer demographic. This is the best tool for finding hyper-local, one-off, or flexible opportunities—like driving for Meals on Wheels or helping at a local library—rather than a full-time “program.”
Independent Sector: The Economic Value of Volunteer Time
For those interested in the tangible economic impact, Independent Sector is the industry standard. They calculate the national and state-level “Value of Volunteer Time” (currently estimated at over $33 per hour in the U.S.). This data helps non-profits and advocates quantify the immense financial contribution that volunteers make to the economy and social services.
Points of Light: Research and Civic Impact
As a global leader in volunteerism, Points of Light offers extensive research and data on how service drives social change. Their resources cover “Civic Circles,” which explain how volunteering fits into a broader life of active citizenship, and they provide insights into how volunteering strengthens the “social glue” of communities worldwide.