Exploration of Perceived Psychosocial Benefits of Senior Companion Program Participation Among Urban-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adult Women Volunteers

Abstract

BackgroundAs the older adult population increases, it is imperative to increase older adults’ opportunities for social involvement, thus maintaining their important roles and contributions to society. While there are known health-related benefits of volunteerism among older adults, a dearth of information exists on the perceived benefits of volunteerism among low-income and ethnic minority older adults.PurposeTo understand the perceived psychosocial benefits of volunteering in the Senior Companion Program and to present findings of focus groups conducted with urban-dwelling, low-income older adult women volunteers.Design and MethodsInductive content analysis and the Dedoose qualitative data analysis software were used for analyzing data obtained from 59 older adult women Senior Companions who participated in nine focus groups.ResultsContent analyses of the focus group transcripts identified four major themes: (1) Reducing social isolation; (2) Improving quality of life; (3) Finding purpose and meaning; and (4) Increasing understanding of aging. The majority of our participants (81%) were African American women, with a mean age of 70 years. Approximately 83.1% had completed high school and 62.7% lived below the poverty line.Discussion and ImplicationsFindings provided data rich in descriptions of positive psychosocial outcomes, finding meaning and purpose, and a better understanding of aging in urban-dwelling, low-income older women volunteers. The findings also provide support for the need for policies and programs that promote civic engagement in this population.

Volunteering Served as a Transitional Role That Enhances the Well-Being and Cognitive Health Among Older Adults With Cognitive Impairments

“…The results from this study concur with previous researchers’ findings examining the potential well-being benefits of volunteering in late life. Our results corroborate results from previous studies that have found positive effects, including a sense of accomplishment and belongingness in later life, among older adults who volunteer (Hood et al, 2018; Russell et al, 2019). In particular, our study showed that the level of purpose in life was higher among those who consistently participated in volunteer work.…”

Aspects of the volunteering experience associated with well‐being in older adults

“…All rights reserved appreciated [7,8]. The results also complement qualitative research in which feeling appreciated and needed was found to facilitate a sense of purpose and accomplishment among older adult volunteers [32]. The present study extends these previous findings by linking appreciation to a broader range of psychological outcomes and thus highlights the importance of recognising the time, energy, skills, and resources volunteers contribute to their roles.…”

Psychosocial and Behavioral Correlates of Internalized Homonegativity in Midlife and Older Gay and Bisexual Men

“…Despite a high level of resilience and strong connections to families of choice, older GBM can experience social isolation. Not only can volunteerism reduce social isolation and provide a sense of purpose, volunteering regularly has been associated with increased life satisfaction among older adults (Hood et al, 2018). Older GBM may lack opportunities or not feel welcome in mainstream organizations to contribute and volunteer.…”