Membership, Neighborhood Social Identification, Well-Being, and Health for the Elderly in Chile

Abstract

The world’s elderly population is growing, and in Chile they represent 16.2% of the total population. In Chile, old age is marked by retirement, with a dramatic decrease in income that brings precariousness. Older adults are economically, socially, and psychologically vulnerable populations. This condition increases their likelihood of disengaging from their usual social environment, facilitating their isolation, sadness, and discomfort. From the perspective of social identity, well-being (WB) can be explained by two principles: social groups’ importance for health and people’s psychological identification with those groups. This study analyzes the relationships between belonging to the neighborhood and extra-neighborhood groups and neighborhood social identification with WB. Urban or rural location and gender are measured, and the sample is 1,475 older Chilean adults of both sexes. The results show that the majority are not members of social groups (52%), and the remaining 48% are members of one or two groups or organizations (42.65%). Only 4.47% belong to three groups or organizations. Those who belong to groups obtain higher scores, emotional–mental WB, and positive emotions than older adults who do not belong to any organization. Urban and rural older adults have the same level of WB. Membership in close social organizations (neighborhood councils) or distant ones (clubs for the elderly and religious groups) causes different WB associations. Membership in neighborhood councils reduces gender differences in self-assessment of health. This result supports the idea that participation in heterogeneous groups with a shared sense of belonging to the neighborhood is associated with higher WB and lower perceived loneliness. Social identification with the neighborhood, rather than belonging to the group, had the most widespread impact on WB and health indicators. The variable social identification with the neighborhood was consistently associated with indicators of hedonic WB.

Are you ready for retirement? The influence of values on membership in voluntary organizations in midlife and old age

“…In this sense, volunteering can play an important role for older people by protecting them from the negative effects of retirement, physical decline, inactivity and social isolation (Fiorillo and Nappo, 2014;Coll-Planas et al, 2017). Some studies have shown that older people who volunteer report better health status than older people who do not volunteer (Fancourt and Steptoe, 2018;Huo et al, 2021;Moyano-Díaz and Mendoza-Llanos, 2021). Despite the beneficial effects of volunteering on older people, such as improved physical function, self-reported health and life satisfaction , most older people engage in volunteer activities only after being asked, while a minority actively seek out volunteering opportunities (Chen and Morrow-Howell, 2015).…”

“…In this sense, volunteering can play an important role for older people by protecting them from the negative effects of retirement, physical decline, inactivity and social isolation ( Fiorillo and Nappo, 2014 ; Coll-Planas et al, 2017 ). Some studies have shown that older people who volunteer report better health status than older people who do not volunteer ( Fancourt and Steptoe, 2018 ; Huo et al, 2021 ; Moyano-Díaz and Mendoza-Llanos, 2021 ).…”

“…Consequently, it is time to encourage more sustainable mechanisms to address isolation, especially among older people ( Payne, 2022 ). One way to strengthen social inclusion and well-being in old age is membership in voluntary associations ( Serrat et al, 2015 ; Moyano-Díaz and Mendoza-Llanos, 2021 ; Levasseur et al, 2022 ), which directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages . In this regard, the empirical evidence shows that membership helps older people to feel more useful and productive, and to enhance their sense of agency and self-esteem ( Haslam et al, 2018 ; Chung et al, 2020 ; Celdrán et al, 2021 ; Lam et al, 2021 ; de Wit et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Voluntary associations are becoming increasingly relevant due to their greater number of members and beneficiaries ( Kang, 2014 ; AbouAssi and An, 2017 ; Ki and Cho, 2021 ), as well as their positive effects on the health and well-being of older people ( Moyano-Díaz and Mendoza-Llanos, 2021 ). Voluntary associations are defined as formally organized groups whose members do not receive financial remuneration for their participation ( Knoke, 1986 ).…”

Yes! Maximizers Maximize Almost Everything: The Decision-Making Style Is Consistent in Different Decision Domains

“…Additionally, it is essential to specify whether gender and age introduce differences in the decision-making style since women increasingly entered the workforce and made independent consumption decisions. On the other hand, health becomes a more critical area as one advances in age (Moyano-Díaz and Mendoza-Llanos, 2021 ).…”