Older people's volunteering: an important objective of active ageing and the long-life society development

Vahida Huzejrović (2016) Older people's volunteering: an important objective of active ageing and the long-life society development. MSc thesis.

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Abstract

This thesis discusses different views of ageing with a special focus on life span development and the life course perspective to ageing. The key themes presented here include the concept of active ageing, volunteering as a means of active ageing, motivation for volunteering as well as a review of related research and studies, mostly conducted abroad. In the empirical section, the motivation of older people for volunteering has been researched as well as the factors that influence older people’s decisions to take up to volunteering. In addition, it addresses the factors that sustain the motivation of active volunteers as well as the factors that could possibly motivate those who have not yet started to volunteer. In order to get to the roots of these matters, older people were asked to give their opinions and suggestions on what should the State provide and what volunteering organisations do to motivate more people to volunteer. The findings show that older people in Slovenia clearly represent social capital, given the length and frequency of their periods of volunteering. They are driven mostly by altruistic motives. They volunteer because of their own values, social relationships, empathy, to stay in touch with the social environment, but also for religious reasons. The benefits perceived in volunteering are associated with better psychosocial wellbeing. Their motivation has been maintained and sustained by both internal and external rewards. The findings also show that women outnumber men among volunteers. Younger older people volunteer more than those older than 75. More educated older people are involved more in volunteering as well as those with the higher level of autonomy or with the better functional mobility. Helping children/grandchildren or neighbours does not prevent older people from volunteering. Older volunteers would like to see that volunteering is more appreciated in society and that the State recognises it, i.e. that it provides more resources for its development. Volunteers’ organisations could, in the view of older people, pay more attention to the promotion of volunteering and utilise ways of attracting volunteers that are more applicable to older people.

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