Organizational support and volunteering benefits for older adults

A Microsimulation of Well-Being and Literacy Interventions to Reduce Scam Susceptibility in Older Adults

Poor financial and health literacy and poor psychological well-being are significant correlates of scam susceptibility in older adults; yet, no research has examined whether interventions that target these factors may effectively reduce susceptibility. Using longitudinal data from older adults in the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP) (N = 1,231), we used microsimulations to estimate the causal effect of hypothetical well-being and literacy interventions on scam susceptibility over six years. Microsimulations can simulate a randomized trial to estimate intervention effects using observational data. We simulated hypotheticalinterventions that improved well-being or literacy scores by either 10% or 30% from baseline, or to the maximum scores, for an older adult population and for income and education subgroups. Simulations suggest thathypotheticalinterventions that increase well-being or literacy cause statistically significant reductions in scam susceptibility of older adults over time, but improving well-being caused a greater-albeit not significantly different-reduction compared to improving literacy.

Identifying predictors of psychological well-being among volunteer mentors in Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) facilitates mentoring relationships between youth and volunteer mentors. Although research has examined outcomes for youth in BBBS, relatively less investigation has been undertaken for volunteer outcomes. This study explored factors associated with changes in psychological well-being among BBBS volunteer mentors. Participants included 593 mentors (Mage = 31) surveyed at study baseline and 15-month follow-up. A classification and regression decision tree approach was used to predict residualized change in psychological well-being from study baseline with match length included as the first split variable, and demographic, individual, and relationship variables included as candidate predictors. Analyses indicated that mentors with longer relationships (>4.5 months) reported more positive change in psychological well-being compared with mentors with shorter relationships. Perceived quality of program supervision was a further predictor within both groups of volunteers. Findings suggest that longer relationships and greater program support may contribute to mentor well-being.

Altruism Sustains the Village Model: How Motivations to Join a Village for Older Adults Predict Long-Term Membership

A Village is a membership-driven organization based on neighbors helping neighbors age in place. Many Villages express difficulty maintaining membership and have concerns about sustainability. Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, we used qualitative and quantitative data from a representative survey of members of ShareCare (N = 91), the first known Village founded in 1994, to 1) identify members' motivations for joining ShareCare, and 2) examine the relationship between motivations for joining ShareCare and being a long-term member. Qualitative data revealed three motivations for joining ShareCare: instrumental, social, and altruistic. Long-term membership was operationalized as 8 years or more. Logistic regression models indicated that people with altruistic motivation were more likely to be long-term members compared to members without altruistic motivation. Instrumental and social motivations were not associated with long-term membership. Our findings inform recruitment and retention of members in Villages, and member-driven organizations for older adults more broadly.

Multiple pathways linking early socioeconomic circumstances and depressive symptoms in late Middle age in the U.S

Objectives: A growing number of life course studies are examining the influence of earlier life experiences on morbidity, disability, and mortality in mid-old age.Method: Drawing from the social pathway model, this study expands the life course literature by utilizing data collected over 35 years from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 Cohort, spanning four life course phases (childhood, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late-middle adulthood). Through structural equation analyses with a phantom model, we estimated depressive symptoms in late middle age as a result of pathway effects starting with childhood socio-economic status (SES) which effect young adulthood and middle adulthood. The multi-pathway life course model includes three potential mediators of middle adulthood: health risk behaviors, social activity, and negative life events.Results: We found limited support for a direct effect of childhood SES disadvantage on depressive symptoms in middle age. Instead, much of the effects of childhood SES on later-year depressive symptoms appear to be mediated by SES in young adulthood. Further, the long-term pathway is mediated through the influence of health risk behaviors and negative life events in middle adulthood.Conclusion: Our findings do not propose this chain is permanent and irreversible; rather, this study highlights the possibility that interventions focused on promoting health behaviors and improving living conditions for people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds could help reduce the instance of depression in middle age and health outcomes along the life course could be improved.

Understanding volunteer retention in a complex, community-centred intervention: A mixed methods study in Ontario, Canada

Volunteers are critical to supporting health care systems worldwide. For organisations that rely on volunteers, service to clients can be disrupted when volunteers leave their roles. Volunteer retention is a multi-layered phenomenon. In this mixed methods case-control study, we compared two naturally-occurring volunteer groups supporting a complex primary care-based programme for older adults in the community: volunteers retained by the programme, and volunteers that left. Our objectives were to describe differences between the groups and also understand how compassion changed over time for those that stayed. We collected quantitative data on demographics, the UCLA Geriatric Attitudes Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Index, the Basic Empathy Scale, the Reasons for Volunteering subscale of the Volunteerism Questionnaire and the 5-level EQ-5D. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups/interviews. Overall, 78 volunteers completed surveys and 23 participated in focus groups/interviews. Volunteers that stayed were more likely to be a little older and were a slightly higher proportion male than those who left. They also had significantly less positive attitudes towards older adults, descriptively lower Cognitive Empathy and descriptively higher Secondary Traumatic Stress. Compared to volunteers who left, volunteers retained were more likely to have said they were volunteering for Enhancement or Social purposes; however, these differences were non-significant. Over time, Compassion Satisfaction decreased with a medium effect size for those that stayed, and Burnout decreased with a small effect size. Volunteers that stayed described more logistical and client-related aspects of the programme were working well. We recommend that volunteer programmes communicate positive programme impacts that could enhance volunteers' development, communicate any client impacts to volunteers to reinforce volunteers' purposes for volunteering (thus reinforcing that their work is meaningful), and ensure logistical aspects of volunteer role work well.

Intergenerational relationship quality and activity profiles among older adults in China

Currently, very few studies have comprehensively investigated how intergenerational relationship quality (IRQ) between older parents and adult children is related to older adults' activity engagement. To fill this gap, this study endeavoured to examine the associations between IRQ and older adults' activity profiles, not only considering the overall IRQ but also different dimensions of IRQ. We also aimed to reveal the different roles of IRQ with son(s) and with daughter(s). This study made use of survey data collected in Yibin City, Sichuan Province of China in 2018 (N = 4,211). We adopted hierarchical cluster analysis to identify activity profiles, and performed multinomial logistic regressions to assess the association between IRQ and the profiles. We identified five activity profiles among older adults: "caregiving-oriented", "employment-oriented", "social withdrawal", "diverse engagement" and "physically active". Those with greater IRQ were more likely to be "caregiving-oriented" and have "diverse engagement" relative to "social withdrawal". It also showed that structural-associational solidarity and affectual closeness were more predictive of the activity profiles, compared to consensual-normative solidarity and intergenerational conflict. Children's gender plays an important role in the relationship between IRQ and activity engagement profiles. Good intergenerational relationships might not narrow down older adults' activity domains, and instead might actually promote their participation in diverse domains. Promoting structural-associational solidarity and affectual closeness was likely to reduce social withdrawal among older adults in China.

Participation in daily activities after acute illness hospitalization among high-functioning older adults: a qualitative study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To describe high-functioning older adults' experiences of participation in daily activities and perceived barriers and facilitators to participation one- and 3-months post-acute hospitalization.

BACKGROUND

Older adults discharged after acute illness hospitalization are at risk for functional decline and adverse health outcomes. Yet, little is known about the subjective experience of resuming participation in meaningful activities beyond the immediate post-discharge period among high-functioning older adults, a mostly overlooked sub-sample.

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive longitudinal study adhering to the COREQ guidelines.

METHODS

Forty two participants ages ≥65 years (mean age 75, SD ± 7.9) were recruited from internal medicine wards. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at participants' homes one-month post-discharge, followed by a telephone interview 3-months after. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Participants perceived the hospitalization as a disruption of healthy and meaningful routines. This first key theme had unique expressions over time and included two sub-themes. At one month: (1) reduced life spaces and sedentary routines. At 3 months: (2) a matter of quality not quantity - giving up even one meaningful activity can make a difference. The second key theme was described as a combination of physical and psychological barriers to participation over time. These themes demonstrated the profound impact of the hospitalization on behavior (participation) and feelings (e.g., symptoms). The third key theme was described as a dyad of intrinsic and extrinsic facilitators to participation.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute illness hospitalization may lead to subtle decreases in participation in meaningful health-promoting activities, even among high-functioning older adults. These changes may impact overall well-being and possibly mark the beginning of functional decline.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study highlights the need for a more comprehensive assessment of participation, relevant for high-functioning older adults, to enable person-centered care. Intervention programs should address the modifiable barriers and facilitators identified in this study.

"Do More, Feel Better": Pilot RCT of Lay-Delivered Behavioral Activation for Depressed Senior Center Clients

This pilot randomized control trial (RCT) tested "Do More, Feel Better" (DMFB), a lay-delivered Behavioral Activation intervention for depressed senior center clients. The study examined: (1) the feasibility of training older lay volunteers to fidelity; and (2) the acceptability, safety, and impact of the intervention. Twenty-one lay volunteers at four senior centers were trained in DMFB. Fifty-six depressed clients were randomized to receive 9 sessions of DMFB or Behavioral Activation delivered by social workers (MSW BA). Research assessments of overall client activity level (BADS) and depression severity (HAM-D) were conducted at baseline and Weeks 3, 6, and 9. Eighty-one percent of lay volunteers who underwent training were formally certified in DMFB. Depressed clients receiving each intervention reported high levels of satisfaction and showed large and clinically significant changes in 9-week activity level (d ≥ 1.35) and depression severity (d ≥ 3.34). Differences between treatment groups were very small for both activity level (dMSW = 0.16; 95% CI, -0.70 to 1.02) and depression (dMSW = 0.14; 95% CI, -0.63 to 0.91). Increases in activity level were associated with decreases in depression (β = -0.42; 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.30). Both interventions appeared to work as intended by increasing activity level and reducing depression severity. "Do More, Feel Better" shows the potential of evidence-based behavioral interventions delivered by supervised lay volunteers, and can help address the insufficient workforce available to meet the mental health needs of community-dwelling older adults.

Shared Site Intergenerational Programs: A National Profile

Shared site intergenerational programs deliver ongoing services and shared programming to youth and older adults in a single setting. With the potential to benefit youth, older adults, families, and communities, they attract growing attention from practitioners, researchers, funders, and policy makers. Using national survey data we profile characteristics of 95 shared sites. Responding programs connected over 25,000 youth and older persons in 2017. The most common models consisted of adult day services and early childhood programs (i.e., preschool or childcare), though unique models offered diverse opportunities. Current priorities and challenges can be addressed with systematic data collection and access to resources, including incentives in the 2020 reauthorized Older Americans Act.

Benefits of volunteerism for middle-aged and older adults: comparisons between types of volunteering activities

Volunteering is a popular activity among middle-aged and older adults as means to contribute to the society and to maintain personal health and wellbeing. While the benefits of volunteering have been well-documented in the current literature, it does not tend to distinguish between various types of volunteering activities. This cross-sectional study aims to compare the effects of instrumental (e.g. food preparation, fundraising) and cognitively demanding volunteering activities (e.g. befriending, mentoring) in a sample of 487 middle-aged and older Hong Kong Chinese adults. Participation in instrumental and cognitively demanding volunteering, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning and hand-grip strength were measured. The results of two-way between-subject robust analyses of variance demonstrated significant main effects of volunteering type and their interaction effect with age on life satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Comparisons among four volunteering groups (no volunteering, instrumental volunteering, cognitively demanding volunteering and both types) revealed that individuals engaging in instrumental volunteering exhibited lower life satisfaction and more depressive symptoms compared to those who engaged in cognitively demanding volunteering and those who did not volunteer at all. This detrimental pattern of instrumental volunteering was only seen in middle-aged adults, but not in older adults. Findings of this study revealed distinctive effects of two volunteering types, and provide valuable directions for designing future volunteering programmes.

The importance of meaningful participation: health benefits of volunteerism for older adults with mobility-limiting disabilities

Volunteerism has been increasingly recognised as a health promotion activity for older adults. However, volunteerism has largely been the domain of those who are in good health with few to no physical limitations, and there is limited information about the experiences of older adults with disabilities. This study explores why older adults with mobility-limiting disabilities engage in volunteer work and their perceptions of the personal benefits of volunteering. Twenty older adults, from three Midwest towns in the United States of America, participated in semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews. Participants in this study identified as having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs due to a health condition and had volunteered in the last year. Participants were selected purposively for maximum variation in terms of type of disability/impairment, race, gender and age. The constant comparative method of analysis was used to identify themes from their discussions. When asked about why they volunteer and the personal benefits of volunteering, participants discussed seeking out activities that were meaningful to them for both altruistic and more self-directed reasons. They identified a number of physical and emotional health benefits that they saw as directly and indirectly related to being able to participate in these meaningful activities. Findings from this study suggest that, for older adults with disabilities who are interested in volunteer activities, volunteerism can be a beneficial health promotion activity and a potential mechanism for increasing opportunities for meaningful inclusion and participation in their communities.

Aspects of formal volunteering that contribute to favourable psychological outcomes in older adults

Although there is a large body of evidence documenting the benefits of engagement in formal volunteering among older people, research assessing the specific aspects of the volunteering experience that are associated with these benefits is limited. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to (i) examine the aspects of volunteering that predict improvements or declines in older people's psychological outcomes over time and (ii) assess the extent to which demographic characteristics and time spent engaging in informal volunteering moderate the relationship between aspects of volunteering and potential outcomes. At Time 1, non-volunteering Australian older adults completed measures assessing their subjective well-being, eudemonic well-being, and psychological resources and were asked to commence volunteering. At Time 2 (six months later), participants completed the same measures and reported on their volunteering experiences. Among the 108 older adults who provided usable data at both time points (average age = 69.86 years, 64% women), the degree to which participants felt overwhelmed by their volunteer work significantly predicted declines in subjective well-being and psychological resources. The perceived importance of the cause for which participants reported volunteering and the perceived meaningfulness of the specific activities undertaken predicted improvements in these outcomes. Volunteering roles for older adults that (i) are not considered overwhelming, (ii) fulfil their desire to volunteer for a cause about which they are genuinely concerned, and (iii) involve activities perceived to be meaningful are likely to produce the favourable psychological outcomes.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-021-00618-6.

Exploring long-term volunteerism in a community family service centre in Singapore: A Focused Ethnographic Study

Volunteerism contributes significantly to the social development of a country. Although the rate of volunteerism has steadily increased over the years, the numbers of regular volunteers remains small. While the existing literature has elucidated individuals' motivations for volunteerism, research is lacking on their motivations and challenges in sustaining long-term volunteerism. A focused ethnographic approach was adopted in this study to explore 20 participants' motivations and challenges towards long-term volunteerism. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants in one single-family service centre in Singapore from October to December 2018. Data were collected through covert observations and semi-structured interviews. Field notes, observational data and findings from the interviews were triangulated and analysed through thematic analysis. In this study, a central exhaustive description of the volunteers 'providing help while receiving good deeds' is established. This was supported with three main themes revolving around the volunteers: fulfilling life goals, deriving meaning from experiences and striking a balance in the life. These themes characterised the motivations and challenges faced by them amidst their voluntary works. They reported that the satisfaction and fulfilment through volunteering had brought personal growth, well-being and happiness to them. The sense of purpose through volunteering further enhanced their experiences. Finally, some volunteers reported that volunteering enabled them to strike a balance in their own life by engaging it as a form of solace. The findings suggest that sustained volunteerism is a multidimensional construct involving the interplay of different factors in the individual's life. By understanding motivations underlying long-term volunteerism, voluntary organisations can create volunteering opportunities that dovetail with volunteers' personal goals, thus boosting their satisfaction and incentivising their sustained engagement. Additionally, the organisations can hold regular bonding activities to promote rapport among their volunteers, beneficiaries and staff, thus encouraging the volunteers to persevere on their volunteering journey.

Fifty-Five Years of Research Into Older People's Civic Participation: Recent Trends, Future Directions

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This study analyzes critically existing knowledge concerning older people's civic participation, pinpoints gaps in the literature, and proposes new directions for research.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a scoping review of literature on older people's civic participation. To conduct this review, we followed the 5-step framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley (Arksey H, O'Malley L. Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Method. 2005; 8: 19-32), and expanded by Levac and colleagues (Levac D, Colquhoun H, O'Brien KK. Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010; 5: 69).

RESULTS

Research into older people's civic participation has grown steadily over the past 55 years. However, the increasing number of publications mainly concerns collective forms of social participation, particularly volunteering, with other types of participation being more stable over time. Contextual as well as dynamic aspects of civic participation remain underdeveloped. Diversity of older people is scarcely represented in current research.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This scoping review identifies 4 critical gaps in the literature that should be at the forefront of future research. These are classified as conceptual, contextual, processual, and diverse aspects of research into older people's civic participation.

Reactions to COVID-19, information and technology use, and social connectedness among older adults with pre-frailty and frailty

The emergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and social distancing measures has serious implications, particularly those age 65 and older. We performed a qualitative analysis of online discussion data generated by older adults with pre-frailty and frailty while subject to a state stay-at-home order. We provided participants with prompts relating to the public health emergency, collected 60 posts, and analyzed them using a general inductive analytic method. We report on: (1) the impact of the pandemic on daily life; (2) preparedness, perceptions, and behavior; (3) information and technology use; and (4) social impacts. Participants’ lives of changed in many ways, including the adoption of precautionary measures and altered daily routines. Participants experienced negative emotional consequences including stress, worry, and anxiety. Information and technology use kept participants informed and connected. Participants reported varying degrees of preparedness. Our study findings provide insight into ways to support vulnerable older adults in pandemic circumstances.

Aspects of the volunteering experience associated with well-being in older adults

ISSUES ADDRESSED

While the psychological health benefits of older people's engagement in formal volunteering are well-documented, there is limited research assessing how volunteering may produce these favourable outcomes. To guide the development of volunteer positions that optimise outcomes, this study examined (a) which aspects of the volunteering experience are most strongly associated with favourable psychological health among older adults and (b) whether relationships between these aspects and psychological outcomes are moderated by sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

A sample of 293 volunteers aged 60+ years (69% female, mean age = 73.33 years) completed measures assessing their engagement in volunteering, various aspects of their volunteer experience, and their psychological health.

RESULTS

Being adequately appreciated for one's contribution, perceived social and mental intensity of the volunteer role, and believing that others benefit from one's volunteering efforts were found to be associated with higher levels of psychological health.

CONCLUSIONS

Ensuring the contributions of volunteers are explicitly recognised, providing opportunities for engagement in social and cognitive activities, and informing volunteers of the benefits others experience constitute potential means of enhancing volunteer outcomes and may assist with volunteer retention. SO WHAT?: This study builds upon the limited research assessing which aspects of the volunteering experience are most strongly associated with favourable psychological health among older adults. The findings point to the potential importance of four specific aspects of the volunteer experience in enhancing psychological health outcomes.

Perceived Usefulness and Easiness of Information and Communication Technologies and Volunteering among Older Adults

This study investigates the association between older adults' perception of usefulness and easiness (PUE) of Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) and volunteering, and if this association differs across their income status. Data were obtained from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and the sample was restricted to respondents aged between 60 and 84 (N = 901) and who completed the 2012 HRS technology module. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to examine the independent and joint influence of PUE of ICTs and of low-income status on volunteering. The results show that only people with high PUE engaged in more than 100 hours of volunteering among older adults after controlling for covariates. The positive effect of high PUE was found to be more significant in the low-income group. This is the first known research to investigate the PUE of ICTs and volunteering among older adults. This study expands the knowledge of volunteering among older adults by exploring ICTs which can be considered as one of the most influential macrosocial changes in the current society. Moreover, our findings provide some insights and an empirical foundation in volunteering programs for older adults of different PUE levels.

Pathways From Social Activities to Cognitive Functioning: The Role of Physical Activity and Mental Health

Background and Objectives

One of the greatest challenges of old age is the risk of cognitive decline. Engagement in social activities has been identified as a possible protective factor. However, it is not yet clear what are the mechanisms underlying this association. This study aims to elucidate the pathways through which social activities impact cognitive functioning, focusing on physical activity and mental health as possible mediators.

Research Design and Methods

The study utilized 3 waves of data-the fourth, fifth, and sixth waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, collected in 2011, 2013, and 2015, respectively. It focused on respondents aged 60 and older. Cognitive functioning was assessed via immediate recall, delayed recall, and fluency. Social activities were measured by volunteering and attending social clubs. Data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach.

Results

The results indicated a significant direct effect of social activities on cognitive functioning. That is, being socially active at baseline was related to better cognitive function 4 years later. The results also indicated the existence of indirect effects. Engaging in social activities was related to better mental health and more physical activities 2 years later, which were related to better subsequent cognitive performance.

Discussion and Implications

These findings highlight the mediating roles of physical activity and mental health in the effects of social activities on cognitive functioning. Understanding these mechanisms can help optimize social activity interventions to improve cognitive aging.

Improving Attitudes to Volunteering Among Older Adults: A Randomized Trial Approach

Promoting engagement in formal volunteering represents a potential means of facilitating healthy aging. Given reluctance to participate in volunteering has been partially attributed to negative perceptions of various aspects of this activity, this study assessed whether trialing volunteering can improve perceptions among older people. Using a parallel-group design, Australians aged 60+ years ( n = 445) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, one in which they were encouraged to trial volunteering and one in which they were asked to continue their usual activities. Perceptions and attitudes among those in the volunteering condition became significantly more favorable over 6 months relative to those in the control condition, with this change predicted by several aspects of the volunteering experience (e.g., acquisition of skills, increased social connectedness). Providing access to roles that cater to the learning and social needs of older adults appears to be important for improving attitudes toward engaging in volunteer work.

Co-Creating Recommendations to Redesign and Promote Strength and Balance Service Provision

Background: Awareness of physical activity guidelines are low, particularly the "forgotten guidelines" of strength and balance. Increasing awareness of guidelines, but also of appropriate local services that can be utilised, is an important step towards active ageing. Co-creation can inform tailored service provision to potentially increase uptake and adherence. The aim was to co-create recommendations to redesign and promote local leisure services, emphasising strength and balance activity provision. Method: Twenty-four ageing and older adults engaged in 10 co-creation workshops. Workshops consisted of interactive tasks, and fieldwork tasks were undertaken externally. Data were collected using field notes, worksheet tasks and facilitator reflections and were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Retention and adherence rates were 92% and 85%. Co-creators cited group cohesion, scientific input from experts and perceived knowledge development as enjoyable elements of the process. Four key themes emerged from analysis: (1) localised strategies for awareness raising, (2) recruitment of volunteer champions to increase uptake and maintenance, (3) accessibility of activities, including what they are and when they are, and (4) evaluation of impact. Conclusion: This has been the first study, to our knowledge, to utilise co-creation for informed leisure service provision improvement. Future work should aim to implement these recommendations to ascertain what impact these themes might make.

Volunteering drivers and continuation will: the role of engagement

Purpose

As volunteering research in nonprofit organizations is growing significantly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of volunteering drivers and work engagement on volunteer continuation will.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on empirical and theoretical perspectives, the authors hypothesized that work engagement mediates the relationship between volunteering drivers and volunteer continuation will. To verify our hypotheses, we examined data collected from 372 active volunteers from Palestinian nonprofit organizations. The authors conducted structural equations modeling (SEM) analyses using the AMOS 24 platform to investigate direct and indirect effects.

Findings

The results of the study show that work engagement is a significant predictor of volunteer continuation will; mediates the relationship between career driver of volunteering and volunteer continuation will; and mediates the relationship between the protective driver of volunteering and volunteer continuation will.

Research limitations/implications

The research design limits establishing cause and effect relationships among the examined variables.

Practical implications

The results of the current study may be of use for nonprofit organizations managers formulating effective recruitment and training policies to retain their volunteers.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the limited empirical body of the volunteering research. The study is novel as it is one of the few studies conducted using data coming from a non-western context.

Psychobiological factors of resilience and depression in late life

In contrast to traditional perspectives of resilience as a stable, trait-like characteristic, resilience is now recognized as a multidimentional, dynamic capacity influenced by life-long interactions between internal and environmental resources. We review psychosocial and neurobiological factors associated with resilience to late-life depression (LLD). Recent research has identified both psychosocial characteristics associated with elevated LLD risk (e.g., insecure attachment, neuroticism) and psychosocial processes that may be useful intervention targets (e.g., self-efficacy, sense of purpose, coping behaviors, social support). Psychobiological factors include a variety of endocrine, genetic, inflammatory, metabolic, neural, and cardiovascular processes that bidirectionally interact to affect risk for LLD onset and course of illness. Several resilience-enhancing intervention modalities show promise for the prevention and treatment of LLD, including cognitive/psychological or mind-body (positive psychology; psychotherapy; heart rate variability biofeedback; meditation), movement-based (aerobic exercise; yoga; tai chi), and biological approaches (pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy). Additional research is needed to further elucidate psychosocial and biological factors that affect risk and course of LLD. In addition, research to identify psychobiological factors predicting differential treatment response to various interventions will be essential to the development of more individualized and effective approaches to the prevention and treatment of LLD.

Caregiving Appraisal by Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors in Nigeria

Introduction: Attending to caregiving experiences of family caregivers of stroke survivors is important in person-centered stroke rehabilitation. This study explored caregiving appraisals by family caregivers of stroke survivors in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of family caregivers' negative and positive appraisals of caregiving was conducted using the 24-item 4-domain revised Caregiving Appraisal Scale (rCAS). Mann Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to identify differences in caregiving appraisals based on specific caregiver and stroke survivor variables. Results: Seventy-three caregiver and care recipient dyads participated in the study. Mean age of the caregivers was 31.51 (9.82) years. From a score of 5, and higher scores depicting higher appraisal, mean (SD) score for caregiving satisfaction and caregiving mastery (positive appraisal domains) was 4.23 (0.97) and 4.04 (0.92) respectively while 2.29 (0.98) and 2.11 (0.93) were respectively recorded for caregiving burden and environmental impact (negative appraisal). Caregivers' gender, age, and employment status resulted in significantly different appraisals with female caregivers having higher caregiving mastery (U = 446, P<0.05), caregiving satisfaction (U = 384.5, P<0.01), and also caregiving burden (U = 382.5, P<0.01) compared to their male counterparts; while older (U = 330; P<0.05) and employed (U = 437.5, P<0.05) family caregivers reported higher caregiving satisfaction and burden respectively than younger and unemployed family caregivers. Conclusion: Given the comparatively higher positive caregiving appraisal, and the documented benefits of positive caregiving appraisal, efforts should be geared towards identifying effective means of reinforcing positive appraisal, and reducing negative stroke caregiving appraisal, especially for female, older and employed family caregivers.

Productive aging via volunteering: Does social cohesion influence level of engagement?

This study investigated whether neighborhood social cohesion influenced volunteer intensity over two years. The sample was drawn from Health and Retirement Study respondents who completed the 2010 or 2012 Psychosocial and Lifestyle Questionnaire (n = 12,929). Results showed that compared to nonvolunteers, a one-unit increase in neighborhood social cohesion increased the odds of moderate (OR: 1.07, p < .05) and high volunteering (OR: 1.10, p < .001). However, other productive roles, social contact, and education were significant in distinguishing high intensity from moderate volunteering while neighborhood social cohesion was not. Social workers should consider the neighborhood environment when recruiting volunteers.

Exploration of Perceived Psychosocial Benefits of Senior Companion Program Participation Among Urban-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adult Women Volunteers

Background

As the older adult population increases, it is imperative to increase older adults' opportunities for social involvement, thus maintaining their important roles and contributions to society. While there are known health-related benefits of volunteerism among older adults, a dearth of information exists on the perceived benefits of volunteerism among low-income and ethnic minority older adults.

Purpose

To understand the perceived psychosocial benefits of volunteering in the Senior Companion Program and to present findings of focus groups conducted with urban-dwelling, low-income older adult women volunteers.

Design and Methods

Inductive content analysis and the Dedoose qualitative data analysis software were used for analyzing data obtained from 59 older adult women Senior Companions who participated in nine focus groups.

Results

Content analyses of the focus group transcripts identified four major themes: (1) Reducing social isolation; (2) Improving quality of life; (3) Finding purpose and meaning; and (4) Increasing understanding of aging. The majority of our participants (81%) were African American women, with a mean age of 70 years. Approximately 83.1% had completed high school and 62.7% lived below the poverty line.

Discussion and Implications

Findings provided data rich in descriptions of positive psychosocial outcomes, finding meaning and purpose, and a better understanding of aging in urban-dwelling, low-income older women volunteers. The findings also provide support for the need for policies and programs that promote civic engagement in this population.

Links between social environment and health care utilization and costs

The social environment influences health outcomes for older adults and could be an important target for interventions to reduce costly medical care. We sought to understand which elements of the social environment distinguish communities that achieve lower health care utilization and costs from communities that experience higher health care utilization and costs for older adults with complex needs. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. We classified community performance based on three outcomes: rate of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, all-cause risk-standardized hospital readmission rates, and Medicare spending per beneficiary. We conducted in-depth interviews with key informants (N = 245) from organizations providing health or social services. Higher performing communities were distinguished by several aspects of social environment, and these features were lacking in lower performing communities: 1) strong informal support networks; 2) partnerships between faith-based organizations and health care and social service organizations; and 3) grassroots organizing and advocacy efforts. Higher performing communities share similar social environmental features that complement the work of health care and social service organizations. Many of the supportive features and programs identified in the higher performing communities were developed locally and with limited governmental funding, providing opportunities for improvement.

Dynamics in motivations and reasons to quit in a Care Bank: a qualitative study in Belgium

The aim of this study was to contribute to the understanding of why volunteers in a time bank known as "NeighborhoodPension," which involves community-based care, are motivated to start, continue, and quit volunteering. The time bank started in 2013 and is the first time bank in Brussels, Belgium. A planned prospective longitudinal study involving qualitative focus group interviews was used to study a group of volunteers at four time points over 1 year. There were two main themes, the first of which pertains to older adults' motives for volunteering with the time bank. These motives are largely attributable to the volunteer organization's contextual factors. The second theme focuses on reasons for quitting volunteering. Factors for retaining volunteers relate strongly to the purpose of the volunteer organization. Co-production (i.e., engaging the volunteers in the design of the project) and having an attention officer (i.e., a confidant who listens to the volunteers' worries) are examples of retention strategies. Moreover, earning time credits did not appear to be a motive for continued volunteering. These theoretical perspectives could help to improve organizational support of volunteers and increase the participation of older citizens in community-based volunteering. The complexity associated with retaining volunteers stems from the fact that although initial motives for volunteering are generally clearly defined, other contextual factors (such as relationships with other volunteers and organizational structure) change the initial motives and can result in volunteer turnover.

Analysis of the factors affecting volunteering, satisfaction, continuation will, and loyalty for public library volunteers: An integrated structural equation model

This study aims to develop an integrated model to analyze the behaviors of public library volunteers in order to help the libraries utilize them as helpful and important human resources. An integrated structural equation model which consists of factors affecting volunteering, volunteer satisfaction, continuation will of volunteering, and loyalty/contributing intention to the library has been developed and tested using survey data from 401 public library volunteers in Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea. Understanding/enhancement and value functions, as well as those significantly directly influencing volunteer satisfaction, are higher motivating factors than other functions of the Voluntary Function Inventory. Direct effects of factors affecting volunteering, and indirect effects mediated by volunteer satisfaction, both on the continuation will of volunteering and loyalty/contributing intention to the library of the volunteers, are investigated: volunteer satisfaction has strong direct positive effects on both factors. Considering the total effects, support and recognition, perceptions of experience, and understanding/enhancement function have positive effects on the continuation will of volunteering, whereas the career function has negative effects; and support and recognition, perceptions of volunteer experience, values function, protective function, understanding/enhancement function, and social function have positive effects on the loyalty/contributing intention to the library, whereas the career function has a negative weak effect on it. Mean differences among groups are also analyzed. Because this study is a kind of extensive exploratory research for library volunteers with some limitations, recommendations for further research are offered, as well as research and managerial implications based on the discussion.

Longitudinal Relationships Between Productive Activities and Functional Health in Later Years

This study examined the longitudinal relationships between functional health in later years and three types of productive activities: volunteering, full-time, and part-time work. Using the data from five waves (2000–2008) of the Health and Retirement Study, we applied multivariate latent growth curve modeling to examine the longitudinal relationships among individuals 50 or over. Functional health was measured by limitations in activities of daily living. Individuals who volunteered, worked either full time or part time exhibited a slower decline in functional health than nonparticipants. Significant associations were also found between initial functional health and longitudinal changes in productive activity participation. This study provides additional support for the benefits of productive activities later in life; engagement in volunteering and employment are indeed associated with better functional health in middle and old age.

A Qualitative Study on the Types and Purposes of Social Activities in Late Life

This qualitative study examines older adults' subjective views on the types and purposes of social activities. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 20 older adults, with low (n = 10) and high (n = 10) memory performance. We used grounded theory methods to analyze the narrative data. Four types of social activities-Altruism, Creativity, Game, and Motion-were identified. The purpose of social activities included enjoyment, relaxation, stimulation, and belongingness. Those in the low memory group seemed to face more barriers to participation. Different types of social activities may be important for cognitive health and well-being.

The influence of domestic living arrangement and neighborhood identity on mental health among urban Chinese elders

OBJECTIVES

The primary purposes of the present study were (1) to assess the living arrangements among urban Chinese elders, (2) to examine the relationship between household living arrangement and elders' mental health, and (3) to investigate how individuals' neighborhood identity affects their mental health.

METHOD

The random sample was collected in 2011, including 939 respondents aged 60 and above who lived in the Jing'an district of Shanghai, China. The study examined well-being and depression of elders. The domestic living arrangements were assessed by a single item with five options: 'With whom are you living together?' The neighborhood identity was measured by four items: the sense of belonging, the sense of pride, volunteer work, and monetary donation for the neighborhood.

RESULTS

Urban Chinese elders' living arrangement had transited from a traditional intergenerational co-residence pattern to a more self-independent style. However, living with children was positively associated with elders' mental health after controlling for demographic variables. Although the neighborhood identity had no interaction with living arrangement, it also contributed to elders' mental health.

CONCLUSION

The study highlighted the importance of living with children and spouse, the sense of belonging, volunteer work, and the feelings of pride on elders' mental health. Results of the current study suggested implications for both government and non-governmental organizations to design family-based support for eldercare and improve neighborhood identity for elders.

Antecedents of philanthropic behavior of health care volunteers

Purpose

– This paper aims to propose a conceptual model of philanthropic behavior of volunteers in the health care sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study is based on an extensive review of past research on philanthropic behavior. To conduct the literature review, keywords such as philanthropy, philanthropic behavior, giving, donating, competencies, volunteering and social network in health care were identified.

Findings

– From the literature reviewed, three groups of antecedents of philanthropic behavior among health care volunteers (HCVs) were identified, viz., individual factors, social factors and organizational factors. This paper proposes social network as a mediating variable in linking the three groups of antecedents with philanthropic behavior. The paper offers a number of propositions which explain the proposed model of philanthropic behavior of HCVs.

Practical implications

– Further research is suggested to test and validate the framework to provide empirical evidence. Upon model validation, the paper could offer practical interventions for human resource development (HRD) managers to assist philanthropic-based organization toward developing and managing philanthropic behavior of HCVs. The paper highlights the importance of social network to promote individuals to engage in philanthropic actions.

Originality/value

– The paper yields a new approach in theorizing philanthropic behavior among HCVs by integrating the theory of planned behavior, social identity approach and organizational support theory. The proposed social network as a mediator could provide new insights to the HRD practitioners on developing philanthropic behavior among HCVs subject to model validation. The research contributes to literature in philanthropy, HRD and community development.

Volunteering as reciprocity: beneficial and harmful effects of social policies to encourage contribution in older age

Social policy applications of 'active ageing' ideals have recently focussed on volunteering as a beneficial and valuable contribution that older people can make to their communities. In this paper we draw attention to the positive and negative effects of a general imperative to contribute. Understanding the benefits of contribution in terms of the moral force of reciprocity recognises that older people do need and want to contribute to society and these contributions are beneficial for their sense of identity and wellbeing. However, older people vary greatly in their health, financial resources, and social networks and should not be seen as a homogenous group whose members must contribute in the same way. A policy focus on the imperative to contribute as a participating citizen can be oppressive and lead to withdrawal from social engagement by those who are the most in need of support to participate. Priorities for social and organisational policies must include support for the many ways older people are able to be involved in their communities and to provide structures necessary to support their preferences. A focus on individual responsibility for active engagement in society, which does not take account of individual circumstances or past contributions, can be harmful.

Experience Corps Baltimore: Exploring the Stressors and Rewards of High-intensity Civic Engagement

PURPOSE

Experience Corps (EC) represents a high-intensity, intergenerational civic engagement activity where older adults serve as mentors and tutors in elementary schools. Although high-intensity volunteer opportunities are designed to enhance the health and well being of older adult volunteers, little is known about the negative and positive aspects of volunteering unique to intergenerational programs from the volunteer's perspective.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Stressors and rewards associated with volunteering in EC were explored in 8 focus group discussions with 46 volunteers from EC Baltimore. Transcripts were coded for frequently expressed themes.

RESULTS

Participants reported stressors and rewards within 5 key domains: intergenerational (children's problem behavior, working with and helping children, observing/facilitating improvement or transformation in a child, and developing a special connection with a child); external to EC (poor parenting and children's social stressors); interpersonal (challenges in working with teachers and bonding/making social connections); personal (enjoyment, self-enhancement/achievement, and being/feeling more active); and structural (satisfaction with the structural elements of the EC program).

IMPLICATIONS

Volunteers experienced unique intergenerational stressors related to children's problem behavior and societal factors external to the EC program. Overall, intergenerational, interpersonal, and personal rewards from volunteering, as well as program structure may have balanced the stress associated with volunteering. A better understanding of stressors and rewards from high-intensity volunteer programs may enhance our understanding of how intergenerational civic engagement volunteering affects well being in later life and may inform project modifications to maximize such benefits for future volunteers and those they serve.

Advancing Research on Productive Aging Activities in Greater Chinese Societies

The public discourse on productive aging as a research and policy initiative has just begun in greater China. Two conferences in Mainland China in 2009 and 2011 and subsequent conferences in Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2012 have set it in motion. Because applied social science research has just started in greater China, researchers in Chinese societies will benefit from the experience and rich literature accumulated over the last three decades in the West. In this paper, I review and reflect on the research methods used in productive aging research in both Chinese societies and in the West. I believe that to advance productive aging research in greater China, we need to (1) discuss and agree upon a definition of productive aging, (2) identify and differentiate outputs and outcomes of productive aging activities in greater China, (3) develop precise measures for productive aging involvement, (4) focus on institutional (program and public policy) factors that promote productive aging involvement, (5) use a strong research design (such as a quasi-experimental design) to establish the internal validity of productive aging programs, and (6) be theory-driven. Lastly, productive aging should be seen as a choice, not an obligation for older people; otherwise, the productive aging agenda will be seen as exploiting older people. It is important that Chinese researchers and policy-makers have this in mind when they are advocating productive engagement of older people in China.

Aging in community: mobilizing a new paradigm of older adults as a core social resource

Dignity and independence are widely considered as core concepts to aging well, yet little research has explored how older adults perceive these issues in the context of community life. Moreover, little is known regarding the ways in which the broader public views and enhances aging with dignity and independence with their older residents. Using participatory action research, multiple methods of qualitative inquiry, and tenets of appreciative inquiry, this article reports on a community-based initiative aimed to better understand the positive aspects of aging with dignity and independence. Synthesized findings yielded 6 "actionable themes": (1) meaningful involvement, (2) aging in place, (3) respect and inclusion, (4) communication and information, (5) transportation and mobility, and (6) health and well-being. The findings invoke a new paradigm for community aging that highlights the unique contributions of older adults as a core social resource. Implications for mobilizing community action to promote aging with dignity and independence are discussed.

The importance of social connectedness in building age-friendly communities

The purpose of this paper is to further elucidate the importance of social relationships and social connectedness with aging in place and in developing elder-friendly communities. The process used in this study was inclusive of younger adults (age 40-65) as well as older adults (65+) in order to further understand how they envision a community that could support their own aging in place. A community forum, using the World Café format, was conducted in order to engage community members, 40 years and older, in conversation about the importance of social connectedness in elder-friendly communities. A second purpose of this forum was to obtain data on what would keep aging boomers in their community as they age. Three major themes emerged from qualitative analysis of the forum: social reciprocity, meaningful interactions, and structural needs/barriers. The results of this study reinforce the importance of social connectedness in creating and maintaining elder-friendly communities for older adults, as well as soon-to-be retired individuals, wishing to maintain life connectedness to their community. The study suggests the possibility of using more nontraditional research techniques (such as the World Café process) for gathering community level data.

Perceived benefits of VFW post participation for older adults

Older adults, as active members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), describe multiple benefits of participation in the organization to their overall well-being. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of 20 active participants of a VFW Post and its Ladies Auxiliary. Findings indicate that, for the study participants, the VFW serves as a primary source of cross-generational influence, emotional support, and meaningful activity and provides a safe and secure environment for members. This article provides valuable information that social work researchers and practitioners can use to help increase older adults' civic engagement and address service gaps.

Improving quality of life in ageing populations: what can volunteering do?

The year 2011 was declared the 'European Year of Volunteering' to recognise the contribution volunteers make to society. Such cross-national events reflect the high profile of volunteering and political imperatives to promote it. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive review of current knowledge (articles published between 2005 and 2011) regarding the role of volunteering in improving older people's quality of life (QoL) and to identify areas requiring further research. Volunteering was defined as an activity that is freely chosen, does not involve remuneration and helps or benefits those beyond an individual's immediate family. Our search identified 22 studies and 5 review articles that addressed the benefits of volunteering on older people's quality of life. Most of the research had been conducted in the United States, Canada and Australia using data from longitudinal studies. The majority of the studies concluded that there is a positive association between older people's quality of life and engagement in volunteering. Due to the study designs and the heterogeneity of the research, causality is difficult to demonstrate and the knowledge the studies bring to the subject is variable. This review shows that volunteering may help to maintain and possibly improve some older adults' quality of life. However, there are still major gaps in our understanding of who actually benefits, the social and cultural context of volunteering and its role in reducing health and social inequalities.

The "Village" model: a consumer-driven approach for aging in place

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study examines the characteristics of the "Village" model, an innovative consumer-driven approach that aims to promote aging in place through a combination of member supports, service referrals, and consumer engagement.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Thirty of 42 fully operational Villages completed 2 surveys. One survey examined Villages' member characteristics, membership types, and fee structures. An additional survey collected information about organizational mission, goals, methods of operation, funding sources, challenges, and older adults' roles.

RESULTS

Villages provide a variety of support services designed to help members age in place, meet service needs, and promote health and quality of life. Most Villages operate relatively autonomously, relying primarily on member fees and donations. Village members typically are highly involved in organizational development and oversight and provide services to other members in almost half of the Villages. Members predominantly are aged 65 years or older, White, non-Hispanic, homeowners, and have care needs that are slightly lower than those of the elderly U.S. population overall.

IMPLICATIONS

Villages are a promising model for addressing service needs among middle-class seniors who seek to age in their own homes and communities. Financial sustainability is apt to be a challenge unless Villages secure more stable sources of funding. Organizational sustainability may be promoted through affiliations with social service agencies and other sources of technical and financial assistance. Future evaluation is needed regarding the impact of Villages on elders' ability to age in place as well as the long-term sustainability of the Village model.