Volunteers' experiences of becoming arthritis self-management lay leaders: ?It's almost as if I've stopped aging and started to get younger!?

Hainsworth, Jenny; Barlow, Julie H.

doi:10.1002/1529-0131(200108)45:4<378::aid-art351>3.0.co;2-t

Cited by 50 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Feeling useful and valued by others has been noted as both a motivator and a consequence of social and productive activity in later life (Barlow & Hainsworth, 2001; Hainsworth & Barlow, 2001; Okun, 1994). The current findings clearly paint a picture of those with persistently high perceptions of usefulness over the first three years of the study as those most actively engaged in volunteerism, child care, and social and religious organizations over the same time period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The desire to contribute to others, be productive, and feel useful have also been cited as important motives for volunteerism and social activity in older adulthood (Hainsworth & Barlow, 2001; Okun, 1994). Such activity may, in turn, benefit older adults’ mental and physical well-being.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As previously noted, the desire to be useful and productive is one motivator of social and productive activity (Hainsworth & Barlow, 2001; Okun, 1994); older adults with persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness may perceive that they have little to offer others and as a consequence may be less likely to initiate social interaction or engage in productive social activity. Negative changes in feelings of social usefulness may also impact self-care and engagement in health promotion behaviors.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Increased Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Persistently Low or Declining Feelings of Usefulness to Others

et al. 2009

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Objectives-To determine if persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others in later life predicts increased mortality hazard in older adults.Methods-Data on change in perceptions of usefulness, health, behavioral and psychosocial covariate factors, and mortality originate from the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging, a prospective study of 1,189 older adults (age 70-79 years).Results-Older adults with persistently low feelings of usefulness or who experienced a decline to low feelings of usefulness over the first 3-years of the study experienced a greater hazard of mortality (sociodemographic adjusted HR = 1.75 (95% CI = 1.22 to 2.51)) over a subsequent 9-year followup as compared to older adults with persistently high feelings of usefulness.Discussion-Older adults with persistently low perceived usefulness or feelings of usefulness that decline to a low level may be a vulnerable group with increased risk for poor health outcomes in later life.Keywords older adults; perceived usefulness; perceptions of aging; mortality Engagement in social and productive activities, especially those which contribute to the wellbeing of others and society, are often cited indicators of healthy or successful aging in later life (Fischer, 1995;Moody, 2001;Rowe & Kahn, 1998). The desire to contribute to others, be productive, and feel useful have also been cited as important motives for volunteerism and social activity in older adulthood Okun, 1994). Such activity may, in turn, benefit older adults' mental and physical well-being. A sizable body of research indicates that greater engagement in social and productive activity is linked to better functioning and health and greater longevity in later life (e.g., Glass, de Leon, Marottoli, & Berkman, 1999;Mendes de Leon, Glass, & Berkman, 2003;Menec, 2003;Musick, Herzog, & House, 1999).A handful of studies have also shown that what older adults think about their social value and usefulness may be as important as their actual activity in terms of an impact on health. Such work has focused on whether perceptions of social usefulness are linked with disability and mortality outcomes in later life. Studies of rural-dwelling French (age 60 years and older) and Japanese (aged 65 years and older) elders have shown that compared to older adults who frequently felt useful to others, those with low feelings of social usefulness were more likely Corresponding Author: Tara L. Gruenewald, tgruenewald@mednet.ucla.edu. to experience increases in physical disability and impairments in the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and more likely to die over follow-up periods of four to six years (Grand, Grosclaude, Bocquet, Pous, & Albarede, 1988;Okamoto & Tanaka, 2004). Similarly, not feeling needed by others predicted greater risk of institutionalization and mortality in a study of older Finnish adults (those age 75, 80, and 85 years;Pitkala, Laakkonen, Strandberg, & Tilvis, 2004)). These findings were recently replicated in a sample of older Americans; compared to el...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Increased Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Persistently Low or Declining Feelings of Usefulness to Others

et al. 2009

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“…• Improved coping with one's own illness 25,26,[39][40][41]46,47 • Expanded social interactions and support system 41,42,[47][48][49] • Improved family functioning 50…”

Section: Mental Health Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Harnessing the Therapeutic Power of Volunteering

Alspach¹

2014

Critical Care Nurse

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“…Data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews using an interview schedule designed specifically for the study and based partly on previous, non-deafened tutor studies Hainsworth and Barlow, 2001). The interview guide was sufficiently flexible to allow participants to introduce issues which they deemed to be important or relevant.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Deafened tutors’ experiences of delivering the challenging deafness (CD) course: ‘Recharging my motivational battery’

Barlow¹,

Turner²,

Hammond³

et al. 2006

International Journal of Audiology

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The objective was to examine tutors' views regarding motivation to become a lay tutor on a generic, lay-led self-management programme, 'Challenging Deafness' (CD); their experience of course delivery; and the impact of being a tutor on their own lives. Eight tutors (6 male) were interviewed face-to-face. Data were analysed using content analysis. Motivation to become a tutor was associated with desire to help others and establish a new purpose in life. Tutors derived a satisfaction from sharing experiences with course participants and felt their contribution to the welfare of others was valued not only by course participants, but also by friends, family and society. Delivering CD courses reinforced tutors' own self-management, helped develop new skills (e.g. giving presentations), and enhanced confidence. Challenges associated with the tutor role included fatigue, travelling to venues, and managing some course participants. Although tutors felt supported in their role, some felt that advertising materials should reflect the psychosocial nature of the course. Several tutors suggested course modifications specific to the needs of deafened adults.

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Volunteers' experiences of becoming arthritis self-management lay leaders: ?It's almost as if I've stopped aging and started to get younger!?

Cited by 50 publications

References 22 publications

Increased Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Persistently Low or Declining Feelings of Usefulness to Others

Increased Mortality Risk in Older Adults With Persistently Low or Declining Feelings of Usefulness to Others

Harnessing the Therapeutic Power of Volunteering

Deafened tutors’ experiences of delivering the challenging deafness (CD) course: ‘Recharging my motivational battery’

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