The Volunteer and Charity Work of European Older Adults: Findings from SHARE

ABSTRACT

Using 2017 Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data, this study presents background characteristics and psycho-social correlates of volunteering among European older adults. Variables included presence/frequency of volunteer/charity work, socio-demographic variables, and a well-being index. ANOVA and regression analysis demonstrated significant differences in volunteer/charity activities across EU (European Union) nations; volunteering was more common in Nordic-Western European countries than in Middle Eastern and Southern Europe. Younger, female, married, and retired individuals were more likely to volunteer. Controlling socio-demographic variables, previous-year volunteers were more likely to score high on self-rated health, quality of life, life satisfaction, and score low on depression and loneliness. Volunteer engagement was significantly and positively associated across well-being indices. The study reiterates and updates previous SHARE-based and other studies. Policy provisions and institutional support should create volunteer opportunities that rebuild social roles and functions, and create challenges, for older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Volunteering
• Europe
• survey of health
• aging and retirement in Europe (SHARE)
• well-being

Disclosure statement

No author declares that there is conflict of interest.

Ethics review

Because the current study employed publicly available secondary database, the Ethics Committee of the authors’ institutions waived the need for approval for the current study.

Additional information

Funding

SL was funded by The Czech Science Foundation [19-11418Y GAČR]. None of the funding bodies had any role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report.