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The effect of time volunteering and charitable donations in later life on psychological wellbeing
- Authors:
- CHOI Namkee G., KIM Jinseok
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 31(4), May 2011, pp.590-610.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Time volunteering in later life has been found to have positive physical and mental health outcomes for older volunteers. Little research has been done on the effect of making charitable donations on older adults’ wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between time volunteering and charitable donations among older adults on the one hand and their individual psychological wellbeing on the other. Data for this study came from the first and second waves of Midlife Development in the United States survey (MIDUS, 1995–1996 and MIDUS II, 2004–2006). The sample consisted of 917 respondents who completed both waves of the survey, and were aged 55-84 at the time they completed MIDUS II. The study examined whether time volunteering and charitable donations measured 9 years earlier by MIDUS had a positive direct effect on psychological wellbeing among individuals measured by MIDUS II. The findings showed that a moderate amount of up to 10 hours monthly of time volunteering and any amount of charitable donations had a direct positive effect on psychological wellbeing 9 years later. The findings also showed a greater effect on psychological wellbeing of any amount of charitable donations than of any amount of time volunteering, although the extent of the effect of both time volunteering and charitable donations was small.
The relationship between social support and health status of elderly people: does social support slow down physical and functional deterioration?
- Authors:
- CHOI Namkee G., WODARSKI John S.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 20(1), March 1996, pp.52-63.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Because the elderly population is increasing, both informal and formal support systems face an increasingly difficult task of providing eldercare. This article analyses a sample of elderly men and women in the United States of America to determine the elasticity of their informal social support systems in response to their declining health and the effects of such support on their health outcomes. Results indicate that the extent of informal support is more likely to be bound by the size of the social support network than by the demand for care associated with declining health. However, social support for elderly people tends to slow down further deterioration of their health, confirming the beneficial effect of social support on elderly people's health outcomes. Policy and practice implications are discussed.