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About 55,000 New Yorkers live in nursing homes and adult care facilities, and many of them would enjoy a visit. Some unemployed volunteers have found that such visits can lead to a new career.

New York's Foundation for Senior Citizens has operated an ombudsman program for decades, which allows volunteers to help care facility residents to advocate for everything from a better cup of coffee to locating lost Social Security benefits.

It's a labor of love, but lately NYFSC officials have heard about volunteers who found more than just sentimental reward.

"They are well-trained in a short period of time to learn new skills, like negotiating skills, problem solving,” says NYFSC President Linda Hoffman. “These kinds of skills and working with the older and frail population have helped some people find new careers.”

Yet most who volunteer are looking for more than a job opportunity.

“I had a great-grandmother who was in a nursing home and I took care of her a lot and visited her a lot during that time. So I did want to come back and give back to the elderly community,” says volunteer Marie Jouvelle Aubourg.

Six-year volunteer Hank Weit says his new career in geriatric care management would not have been possible without the wealth of knowledge he gained as a volunteer.

“I had references, I had a lot of people who would speak up, I had networking contacts,” says Weit. “Most importantly, I had networking experiences.”

There are currently about 160 volunteers in the program. While it's impossible to predict who will turn this experience into a new career, it's a safe bet the vast majority will find moments of satisfaction that transcend a paycheck.

For more information on the volunteering program at the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens, call 212-962-7559 or visit www.nyfsc.org.