<i>I Wanna help, but my Hands can be a Little Tied</i>: The Challenges and Benefits of Formal Volunteering among Low-Income Diverse Older Adults

Cao, Qiuchang; Dabelko‐Schoeny, Holly; White, Katie; Maleku, Arati; Sheldon, Marisa

doi:10.1080/01634372.2021.1897723

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Research suggests volunteering is an important dimension of productive aging and can benefit health and well-being outcomes in later life (Cao et al, 2021; Kim et al, 2020). Volunteering provides older adults with outlets and opportunities to continue and strengthen existing social roles or to develop new ones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Older volunteers are more likely to develop self-esteem and perceptions of purpose of life compared to those who do not volunteer (Cao et al, 2021). Research related to Senior Companions also suggests volunteering provides a sense of meaning and purpose as well as feelings of accomplishment (Hood at el., 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Volunteering is highlighted by the concept of productive aging which refers to activities attractive to older adults that may also benefit their social, physical, and emotional health and well-being (Dommaraju & Wong, 2021; Gonzales et al, 2015). Studies have indicated participation in productive aging activities can lead to reduced stress, depression, and loneliness (Cao et al, 2021; Cheng et al, 2022). Within the larger framework of role theory, older adults involved in productive roles, such as a volunteering in a telephone reassurance program, may experience role enhancement, increased resources, and expanded social ties (Moen et al, 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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It Gave Me Somebody Else to Think About Besides Myself: Caring Callers Volunteer Experiences With a Telephone-Based Reassurance Program for Socially Isolated Older Adults

et al. 2022

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The Caring Callers Program was developed as a telephone-based intervention utilizing Senior Companion volunteers to reach older adults at greater risk for loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. This pilot program consisted of trained volunteers who provided supportive, weekly calls as well as community resources with their Caring Callers clients. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experiences of Senior Companion volunteers in the Caring Callers Program through the lens of productive aging. We completed semi-structured interviews with 18 Caring Callers volunteers. We used Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Date Analysis (RADaR) which yielded four themes: (1) reciprocity; (2) purposeful use of time; (3) learning new skills; and (4) gaining perspective. Our findings provide insight for gerontological researchers examining volunteering as a productive aging activity and offer strategies for designing peer-led, telephone-based interventions to promote social connectedness in an unprecedented time.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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It Gave Me Somebody Else to Think About Besides Myself: Caring Callers Volunteer Experiences With a Telephone-Based Reassurance Program for Socially Isolated Older Adults

et al. 2022

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“…For example, the US Census Bureau Survey (2011) showed that 19.6% of Asian Americans volunteered in 2011, compared to 27.8% of Whites [ 21 ]. A recent study reported that 24% of older adults in the United States participated in volunteering [ 1 ].…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Volunteering has marked benefits for older persons who do volunteer work. It has a positive effect on well-being and plays an important role in a successful and productive navigation of advanced age [ 1 , 2 ]. Volunteering is usually defined as unpaid work that benefits other individuals (e.g., giving money and goods, providing unpaid assistance, and offering emotional support to other people).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Study on Volunteering among Older Korean Immigrants in the United States and Older Koreans in South Korea

Chang

2022

IJERPH

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This study aimed to determine the most important factors that influence the prevalence of volunteering among older Koreans in the United States and in Korea and to identify sociodemographic resources, cultural resources, and social resources that are correlated with volunteering. The data were gathered from older Koreans aged 60 or over from the two countries (n = 480). The prevalence of volunteering was 23.3% for older Korean immigrants in the United States versus 14.7% for the older Koreans in Korea. This study found that there was a significant relationship between human capital (individual resources) and volunteering in both countries. Education and financial status had a positive relationship with volunteering among older Koreans in both countries. Cultural resources and social resources were the only important predictors of volunteering among older Korean immigrants in the United States. Regarding types of volunteering, older Koreans in both countries were more likely to participate in informal volunteering than formal volunteering. These findings differ somewhat from those reported by previous studies. This study was the first attempt to examine older adults from these two countries with a focus on the correlation between cultural factors, social resources, and volunteering.

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Civic engagement among foreign-born and native-born older adults living in Europe: a SHARE-based analysis

et al. 2023

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Civic engagement is one of the cornerstones of participatory democracy and fundamental to preventing old-age social exclusion. Even though civic engagement late-in-life has received considerable attention, there is a lacuna of research on older migrants’ civic engagement. This study aims therefore to examine potential predictors of civic engagement in terms of formal volunteering and participation in political organisations among foreign-born and native-born older adults in Europe. Attention is hereby given to how socio-structural resources and social capital are associated with civic engagement, and whether these associations differ between foreign-born and native-born. Data from wave 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe [n = 74,150; 5710 of them are foreign-born] were used in multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results show that socio-structural and social capital variables are positively associated with volunteering and participation in political organisations, both in native-born and foreign-born older adults. The study also suggests that place of birth (in Europe vs. outside Europe) and age-upon-migration play a role in predicting civic engagement among foreign-born older adults, and are therefore features worth considering when studying older migrants’ civic engagement.

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I Wanna help, but my Hands can be a Little Tied: The Challenges and Benefits of Formal Volunteering among Low-Income Diverse Older Adults

Cited by 11 publications

References 32 publications

It Gave Me Somebody Else to Think About Besides Myself: Caring Callers Volunteer Experiences With a Telephone-Based Reassurance Program for Socially Isolated Older Adults

It Gave Me Somebody Else to Think About Besides Myself: Caring Callers Volunteer Experiences With a Telephone-Based Reassurance Program for Socially Isolated Older Adults

Comparative Study on Volunteering among Older Korean Immigrants in the United States and Older Koreans in South Korea

Civic engagement among foreign-born and native-born older adults living in Europe: a SHARE-based analysis

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