Volunteerism - Age 65+ in Wyoming

Wyoming

After retirement, some older adults may choose to spend their free time volunteering. Volunteering not only provides a service to the community, but can also offer volunteers themselves opportunities for positive social interactions, increased social support and a sense of meaning and purpose during retirement. 

Many volunteer opportunities involve active mental and physical engagement, socialization and learning, all of which are good for cognitive function. There is emerging evidence that older adults who volunteer regularly have fewer cognitive complaints and a lower risk for dementia compared with those who do not volunteer regularly. Other improved health outcomes among older adults who volunteer include:

• Reduced symptoms of depression.
• Better self-reported health.
• Fewer functional limitations.
• Lower mortality rates.

AmeriCorps, a federal agency that engages people in volunteer work, has found that older volunteers experience decreased depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. More than 80% of participants in the AmeriCorps Seniors program report that volunteering helped improve their health after one year of service. 

While many older adults show an interest in volunteering, some face barriers that prevent them from doing so. Common barriers include lack of transportation, lack of information about volunteer opportunities, mobility issues and other health problems. External factors such as religion may also influence who volunteers as an older adult.

Populations of older adults more likely to volunteer include:

• White older adults compared with Black older adults, who face more significant and complex barriers to volunteering from disadvantaged neighborhood environments, lack of economic resources and other forms of structural inequity.
• Those with higher levels of education.
• Low-income senior housing residents compared with low-income older adults not living in senior housing. Senior housing environments can foster a culture of volunteerism that positively impacts engagement.

The AARP website has resources for finding volunteer opportunities in your area based on interest. Strategies to encourage older adults to participate in volunteer activities include emphasizing the social aspect of volunteering, collaborating with senior organizations to promote opportunities and addressing transportation barriers by providing transportation assistance.

Anderson, Nicole D., Thecla Damianakis, Edeltraut Kröger, Laura M. Wagner, Deirdre R. Dawson, Malcolm A. Binns, Syrelle Bernstein, Eilon Caspi, Suzanne L. Cook, and The BRAVO Team. “The Benefits Associated with Volunteering among Seniors: A Critical Review and Recommendations for Future Research.” Psychological Bulletin 140, no. 6 (2014): 1505–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037610.

Gonzales, Ernest, Huei-Wern Shen, Yi Wang, Linda Sprague Martinez, and Julie Norstrand. “Race and Place: Exploring the Intersection of Inequity and Volunteerism Among Older Black and White Adults.” Journal of Gerontological Social Work 59, no. 5 (July 3, 2016): 381–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2016.1224787.

Griep, Yannick, Linda Magnusson Hanson, Tim Vantilborgh, Laurens Janssens, Samantha K. Jones, and Martin Hyde. “Can Volunteering in Later Life Reduce the Risk of Dementia? A 5-Year Longitudinal Study among Volunteering and Non-Volunteering Retired Seniors.” Edited by Gianluigi Forloni. PLOS ONE 12, no. 3 (March 16, 2017): e0173885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173885.

Jongenelis, Michelle, N. Biagioni, S. Pettigrew, J. Warburton, R. Newton, and B. Jackson. “Volunteering Engagement In Seniors: Barriers and Facilitators.” Innovation in Aging 1, no. suppl_1 (2017): 1263–64. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx004.4601.

Kent, Mary. “Volunteering and Health for Aging Populations.” Today’s Research on Aging, no. 21 (August 2011). https://www.prb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/TRA21-2011-volunteering-aging.pdf.

Musich, Shirley, Shaohung S. Wang, Sandra Kraemer, Kevin Hawkins, and Ellen Wicker. “Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.” Population Health Management 21, no. 2 (April 2018): 139–47. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2017.0063.

Park, S., B. Kim, and J. Cho. “Volunteering Among Low-Income Older Individuals: Does Senior Housing Matter?” The Gerontologist 56, no. Suppl_3 (November 2016): 344–45. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw162.1400.

Pilkington, Pamela D., Tim D. Windsor, and Dimity A. Crisp. “Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being in Midlife and Older Adults: The Role of Supportive Social Networks.” The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 67B, no. 2 (March 1, 2012): 249–60. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbr154.

Tang, Fengyan. “Socioeconomic Disparities in Voluntary Organization Involvement Among Older Adults.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 37, no. 1 (March 1, 2008): 57–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764007300409.

Villalonga-Olives, Ester, Kayleigh R. Majercak, Josue Almansa, and Tasneem Khambaty. “Longitudinal Impact of Volunteering on the Cognitive Functioning of Older Adults: A Secondary Analysis from the US Health and Retirement Study.” International Journal of Nursing Sciences 10, no. 3 (July 2023): 373–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2023.06.018.