Volunteering and Healthy Aging

Theme: Promoting healthy aging involves attention to ways in which volunteering can enhance seniors' social support networks, contributing to their physical and psychological health.

Healthy Aging

• Seniors' health is affected by social, economic and behavioural factors operating throughout the life cycle: among these are social support networks and social activities.
• The health status of Canada's seniors is increasingly important: statistics show that by 2040, almost one in four Canadians will be over the age of 65.
• This aging of the population requires attention to preventing and reversing declines in health among seniors, and to factors which affect health in later years.

Volunteering and Healthy Aging

• Elderly volunteers contribute more hours of volunteer time annually, on average, than other age groups. About 23% of seniors volunteer.
• Volunteering among seniors in Canada has been linked to improved quality of life, stronger social networks, increased levels of physical activity, and lower mortality rates.
• One of the key benefits of volunteering for seniors is social support; many seniors are at risk for social isolation and aging-related stresses. Research suggests that decreased social activity and loss of social networks may contribute to isolation and dependency.
• Moen's research on multiple roles suggests that volunteer activity throughout the adult years promotes healthy aging and activity and multiple roles in older ages.
• Volunteerism contributes to successful aging by enhancing one's life satisfaction and well-being, sense of purpose, self-confidence, and personal growth.

SOURCES

Wheeler, J. et al. (1998). "The beneficial effects of volunteering for older volunteers and the people they serve: a meta-analysis," International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 47(1): 69-79.

Chappell, N. (1999) "Volunteering and healthy aging: what we know." Volunteer Canada.

Musik, M. et al. (1999). "Volunteering and mortality among older adults: findings from a national sample," Journal of Gerontology, 54B(3): 173-180.

National Advisory Council on Aging (1999). "1999 and Beyond: challenges of an aging Canadian society."

Fisher, B. et al. (1998). "Successful Aging: volunteerism and generativity in later life," in Redburn, D. and McNamara, R. (Eds.), Social Gerontology (43-54). Conneticut: Auburn House.

Statistics Canada. (1998). "Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: highlights from the 1997 NSGVP." 71-542-XPE.

Durant, T. and Christian, O. (1990). "Socio-economic predictors of alienation among the elderly", International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 31(3): 205-217.

Moen, P. et al. (1992)."Successful aging: a life-course perspective on women's multiple roles and health,"American Journal of Sociology, 97(6): 1612-38.

Important Notices