Changes in Volunteering of Older Adults in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Motivations

Andrea Principi, Davide Lucantoni (), Sabrina Quattrini, Mirko Di Rosa and Marco Socci
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Andrea Principi: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA—National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Davide Lucantoni: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA—National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Sabrina Quattrini: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA—National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Mirko Di Rosa: Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology and Biostatistics, IRCCS INRCA—National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Marco Socci: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA—National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: This paper elucidates the relationship between possible changes in volunteering experienced by older people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their motivation to volunteer, as well as the direct or indirect experience of COVID-19 symptoms. Given the well-known positive benefits of volunteering in older age both for individuals (in terms of improved health and wellbeing) and society at large, there is a paucity of studies on older volunteers in the time of COVID-19. In this context, older people’s volunteering was highly challenged due to age-based physical and social restrictions put in place by national governments, which have been considered as ageist by a large part of the gerontological scientific community. This study was carried out on a sample of 240 Italian older volunteers. The results suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially older volunteers driven by social goals (e.g., opportunities to have relationships with others) were able to continue volunteer activities without needing to change them. The study also clarified that having directly or indirectly experienced COVID-19 symptoms did not influence changes in voluntary activities of older people. These results have important policy implications, given the indication that through volunteering, older individuals may try to counter the undesired calls by the governments for self-isolation and physical distancing. It is important that in emergency situations involving older people, policy makers should not treat them as only recipients of health and social care, but also as useful providers of help in the community.

Keywords: older volunteers; active ageing; Volunteer Functions Inventory; emergency situations; Italy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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