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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2020

Peiyi Lu ,
Cai Xu  and
Mack Shelley Open the ORCID record for Mack Shelley [Opens in a new window]
Peiyi Lu
Affiliation:
Gerontology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Cai Xu
Affiliation:
Gerontology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Mack Shelley*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: mshelley@iastate.edu
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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.

Keywords

volunteerstate-of-the-art reviewSocioecological Modelmotivation and barriersolder adults
Type
Review Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 41 , Issue 8 , August 2021 , pp. 1833 - 1857
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press.

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