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Who benefits from volunteering? Variations in perceived benefits
- Authors:
- MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, HONG Song-Lee, TANG Fengyan
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 49(1), February 2009, pp.91-102.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The purpose of this study was to document the benefits of volunteering perceived by older adults and to explain variation in these self-perceived benefits. This is a quantitative study of 13 volunteer programs in the US and 401 older adults serving in those programs. Program directors completed telephone interviews, and older volunteers completed mailed surveys. Volunteer-level and program-level data were merged. Older volunteers reported a wide variety of benefits to the people they served, themselves, their families, and communities. More than 30% reported that they were "a great deal better off" because of volunteering, and almost 60% identified a benefit to their families. When considering only individual characteristics, lower-income and lower-educated volunteers reported more benefit. Yet, aspects of the volunteer experience, like amount of involvement, adequacy of training and ongoing support, and stipends, were more important in understanding who benefits from volunteering. These findings suggest that characteristics of volunteer programs can be strengthened to maximize the benefits of volunteering to older adults. These characteristics are more mutable by public policies and organizational procedures than individual characteristics. Focusing on the recruitment of lower socioeconomic status older adults may result in an increase in benefits from the growth of volunteering.
Increasing older adults' benefits from institutional capacity of volunteer programs
- Authors:
- HONG Song-Iee, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 37(2), 2013, pp.99-108.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study examines the extent to which the institutional capacity of volunteer programs explained variations in older adults' self-perceived psychosocial benefits. This quantitative study analysed 401 older adults serving in 13 volunteer programs across the United States. Individual volunteer-level characteristics (sociodemographics and volunteer experience) and program-level characteristics (flexibility, recognition, incentives) were collected. Program directors provided information about program characteristics via telephone interviews, and older volunteers in those programs completed mailed surveys. Variation in perceived benefits was associated with both individual- and program-level factors. Of six dimensions of institutional capacity, role flexibility and recognition had significant associations with higher levels of benefits reported by the volunteers. Also, incentives in the form of monetary compensation, like for petol or meals, offered by programs increased the benefits from volunteering. These findings suggest that characteristics of programs can maximize the benefits that older adults gain from volunteering. Therefore, public policies and program development that increase the institutional capacity of volunteer programs are warranted. (Edited publisher abstract)
Involvement in voluntary organizations: how older adults access volunteer roles?
- Authors:
- TANG Fengyan, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 51(3-4), 2008, pp.210-227.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article examines the potential role for older volunteers in the light of the growing demand for social services and diminishing public funding, and looks at the type of people who become volunteers. US Census data is analysed and older volunteers were found to be likely to be in employment, have fewer household members, and were more likely to volunteer firstly for religious organisations, followed by social service, health and educational institutions. The article also examines how social workers recruit and work with these volunteers who are becoming an increasingly valuable resource.
Institutional facilitation in sustained volunteering among older adult volunteers
- Authors:
- TANG Fengyan, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, HONG Songiee
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 33(3), September 2009, pp.172-182.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
As more nonprofit organizations rely on older adult volunteers to provide services, it is important to retain volunteers for an extended period of time to ensure service quality and the beneficial outcomes of volunteering. Nonprofit organizations are positioned to facilitate older adult volunteers' role performance. Based on an institutional perspective on volunteering, this study explored what institutional facilitations are needed for sustained volunteering. The sample included 401 older adult volunteers from 13 programs across the United States. Data were collected by means of self-administrated questionnaires. Institutional facilitation was captured by volunteer role flexibility, incentive, role recognition, and training. With volunteers' age controlled for, two-level hierarchical linear models were used to assess the relationship between volunteer duration (level 1 variables) and institutional facilitation (level 2 variables) in the volunteer program. Results demonstrated that a higher level of volunteering duration was associated with institutional facilitation factors of more role recognition and more training hours. Duration was also associated with less incentive. These findings suggest that certain facilitators from organizations contribute to an extended period of commitment among older adult volunteers.
Research priorities for Gerontological social work: researcher and practitioner perspectives
- Authors:
- MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, BURNETTE Denise, CHEN Li-Mei
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 29(4), December 2005, pp.231-242.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This article describes a Delphi study to identify research priorities of gerontological social work practitioners and to compare these priorities with those of social work academic researchers. A national expert panel of 52 gerontological social work practitioners from the United States completed questionnaires to delimit a set of high-priority research topics. Findings were compared with a similar Delphi study conducted with academic social work researchers. The researcher panel and the practitioner panel endorsed a need for intervention research. Practitioners also identified several unique priorities, including income security and long-term care policies, decision making, and planning for later life. The authors suggest four substantive areas (housing and transitions in living arrangements, family caregiving, health and mental health, and workforce) and four cross cutting themes (intervention research, social policy, service delivery, and capacity building) as a potential organizing framework for a research agenda for gerontological social work.
Gerontological social work research: current status and future directions
- Authors:
- MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, BURNETTE Denise
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 36(3/4), 2001, pp.63-79.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article assesses the current state of gerontological social work research in the USA and suggests future directions for the field. Argues that social workers are not adequately represented among researchers supported by public and private funds.
The perceived benefits of participating in volunteer and educational activities
- Authors:
- MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, KINNEVY Susan, MANN Marylen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 32(2), 1999, pp.65-80.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Outlines a programme evaluation of OASIS, a national non-profit organisation in the USA, which provides educational and volunteer opportunities to people over the age of 55. The survey results indicated that older adults perceive that they benefit from participation in these activities.
Applying gerontological social work perspectives to the coronavirus pandemic
- Authors:
- SWINFORD Emma, GALUCIA Natalie, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 63(6-7), 2020, pp.513-523.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Social workers are familiar with the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic; and we apply three gerontological social work perspectives that might increase our chances of minimizing negative outcomes and improving health and quality of life for everyone. First, the reality that the older population is very heterogeneous challenges ageism and age-stereotyping that has surfaced with COVID-19. Second, concepts of cumulative disadvantage and intersectionality offer clear explanations of the disparities that are being illuminated and lead us to advocate for fundamental changes to reduce disparities in later life and for people across the life course. Third, a strength-based perspective highlights the assets of the older population and the opportunities for positive developments coming out of the crisis. We can capitalize on momentum to increase advance care planning, to reduce social isolation, and expand the use of on-line technology for service provision. We can bolster our arguments to support older workers, volunteers, and caregivers. The fact that these social work perspectives are so applicable to the coronavirus situation reminds us of their fundamental relevance. Gerontological social work has much to offer in our roles as researchers, educators, practitioners, and advocates during this crisis, and our foundational principles serve us well. (Edited publisher abstract)
Inclusion of diverse older populations in volunteering: the importance of institutional facilitation
- Authors:
- TANG Fengyan, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, HONG Songiee
- Journal article citation:
- Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(5), October 2009, pp.810-827.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This is the second part of a study of the institutional capacity of 51 programs recruiting older volunteers in the United States. The importance of institutional facilitation of older adults, especially those of lower socio-economic status, to 13 of these programs was assessed by focusing on 374 volunteers, aged 60 or over, across 9 states. A self-administered questionnaire collected information about their experiences as volunteers, using institutional facilitators such as activity choice, time, schedule, responsibility level, workload, compensation, transportation, recognition and accommodation as measures as well as volunteer socio-demographics. Items regarding role flexibility were found to be important, with activity choice and setting of own schedule key. Respondents, especially non-White and low income, advised that accommodation, of a health condition for example, was important as well as being recognised, having expenses compensated and receiving a stipend. This study suggests that voluntary organisations could recruit and sustain helpers from the over 60’s from more diverse backgrounds by increasing their levels of flexibility, compensation and recognition. As baby boomers age there will be a greater potential for volunteering among the older population and to marshal this resource towards community need and ensure those volunteering come from all walks of life, voluntary organisations must, say the authors, fine tune their methods to make volunteering attractive to all and not elitist.
Assessing unmet needs of older adults receiving home and community-based services conceptualization and measurement
- Authors:
- LI Hong, MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, PROCTOR Enola
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in Long-Term Care, 3(3/4), 2005, pp.103-120.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
This American study reviews the conceptualization and measurement issues related to unmet service needs of older adults receiving home and community-based services. The authors summarize and synthesize the recent literature on unmet service needs to examine (1) how this concept is conceptualized and measured and (2) how this concept could be used to advance the provision of home and community-based services. The findings suggest that measures of unmet needs varied in terms of their focus (e.g., function-specific or service-specific) and sources of information (e.g., care receivers, caregivers, or professions). The findings underscore the need to further refine the conceptualization and measurement of unmet service needs and to assure the proper use of existing measures by social service providers. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).