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

Abstract

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.

“Our focus is on illness and loneliness”: Volunteer work engagement, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, self‐care and motivations to volunteer

“…With the motivation of Understanding showing the highest values and the fact that a large proportion of the sample had university studies, we are dealing with people interested in growth and learning, contributions that they recognise their volunteering offers them, therefore generating beneficial feelings like in Faletehan et al ( 2020 ) or Ferreira et al ( 2012 , 2015 ). Likewise, as it is essentially a sample of retired people, as in Wilson and Musick ( 1997 ), the Enhancement function can be recognised to have a relevant role since, through their volunteering, they can feel involved and capable of contributing to society according to Russell et al ( 2019 ), Jongenelis et al ( 2020 ) and Wilding et al (2021). Along the same lines, it is logical that the Career function should appear last since they have mostly finished their professional careers.…”

“…In addition to the pleasant feelings of Compassion Satisfaction, and Engagement, other individual elements intercede in the causes whereby a person starts or carries on health and social care volunteering (Selli et al, 2008 ). Recent studies reported a positive association between older people's volunteering, cognitive functioning (Guiney et al, 2021 ; Han et al, 2020 ), physical health (Pettigrew et al, 2020 ) and acquisition of skills or increased social connectedness (Jongenelis et al, 2020 ; Russell et al, 2019 ; Wilding et al, 2021 ). Authors are according with Haski‐Leventhal's ( 2009 ) theoretical proposal based on altruistic motivations or civic concerns.…”