A state-of-the-art review of the socio-ecological correlates of volunteerism among older adults

Abstract

The health and social benefits of volunteering behaviours by older adults are well acknowledged. However, few review articles have been concerned with the correlates/dimensions of older adults’ volunteerism. Some focused only on the North American context or reviewed studies only up to 2008. This study reviewed the recent global literature in the past decade about the correlates of older adults’ volunteerism. We carried out a literature search in PsycINFO, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts and Google Scholar to identify empirical journal publications about the correlates of older adults’ (age 60+) volunteerism from 2008 to 2019. Among 112 initially eligible papers, 41 were selected. Findings were synthesised using the framework of the Socioecological Model. Existing studies mainly have used quantitative methodologies and were conducted within the context of a single Western country. Motivations included higher education, morale and mentality, previous experiences, social network, community cohesion and organisational management. Major barriers were health and financial constraints. Few studies focused on macro-level correlates. Irrelevant and confounding correlates were also discussed. We suggest practitioners recruit and retain older volunteers by identifying their needs and optimising management within the organisation. Policy makers should create a supportive environment and increase resource accessibility. Future research could conduct cross-cultural comparisons, use diverse methodologies and embrace more correlates, especially at the macro-level.

Identifying pathways to increased volunteering in older US adults

“…For example, the effect of employment on volunteering may be influenced by life stage, such that those experiencing work-retirement transitions may be more involved in volunteering than non-retired populations 100 , and other new roles in later life (e.g., caregiving) may influence later life volunteering 67 . Future work will need to continue to investigate factors at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels that predict volunteering specifically in older populations, predictors of volunteering across the lifespan, and predictors that may be more or less salient at different points during the life course 34 .…”

“…Fourth, prior studies assessing predictors of volunteering have assessed micro-level contributors (incentive factors) and inhibitors (obstructive factors) of volunteering at the individual level in several key domains (health-related, psychological, etc. ), creating a strong foundation for us to now assess how changes in these individual-level factors are associated with subsequent volunteering 34 . Future studies should further investigate other potential predictors (e.g., meso- and macro-level factors, factors available outside of HRS, etc.)…”

“…Future studies should further investigate other potential predictors (e.g., meso- and macro-level factors, factors available outside of HRS, etc.) 34 .…”

Do Home and Community Environments Explain Self-Rated Health Among Older Canadians? Evidence From the 2018 Canadian Housing Survey

“…In this study, we adopted the socioecological and person-in-environment frameworks, which emphasize how interactions with environments such as home and community can shape the health and social behaviors of older adults, such as community social cohesion, sense of belonging, and civic engagement (Lu et al, 2021). The conceptual frameworks suggest accounting for multilevel factors (Bengston & Settersten, 2016), such as individual (age, gender, living arrangements), home (design, space), and community (cohesion, access to service, safety) factors, in understanding the relationships among person, place, environments, and assessment of health.…”

Promoting Sustainable Cities and Communities for Older Persons through Understanding their Preferable Social Activities

“…This programme not only improves physical health but also improves social contact among older persons. Numerous studies have shown how important it is to create inclusive and accessible outdoor environments, such as senior playgrounds, parks and meeting areas to encourage social participation and a healthy lifestyle [33], [31], [34], [24]. Aside from that, the country's ageing population has become the primary consumer, with purchasing power over the majority of goods and services [20].…”