Older Volunteers' Perceptions of Impacts of Volunteering on Their Psychological Well-being

Abstract

This study investigated the impacts of the school volunteer experience as perceived by older volunteers. Data were gathered from 180 volunteers through the use of a Likert-type questionnaire and an open-ended interview. The data analysis yielded the following findings. The volunteer experience was perceived as providing a meaningful structure for the older persons' lives, as enriching their lives and as helping them to overcome personal trauma. These findings suggest that older persons' well-being could be improved by providing them with structured activities involving social responsibility.