community contributions in later life

Community Contributions in Later Life – What do we know?12 September 2016

Dan Jones, Director of Innovation & Change

The Centre for Ageing Better received £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund in January 2015 in the form of

an endowment to enable it to identify what works in the ageing sector by bridging the gap between

research, evidence and practice.

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About the Centre for Ageing Better

An independent charitable foundation working for a society in which everybody enjoys a good later life

We develop, share and apply evidence to help people age better

We bring new thinking and solutions to bear on the challenges and opportunities that everyone faces as more people live longer

We’ve identified 10 areas which are important to help more people live a good later life – including “I am making a valued contribution to my community”

Community Contributions in Later Life – What do we know?

Later Life in 2015 research

3Community Contributions in Later Life – What do we know?

What makes for a good later life?

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Interrelated Expectations are modestPersonal outlook matters

Wide variation in how people experience later life

Health Financial security

Social connections


Wellbeing

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Six broad groups were identified

Thriving boomers – typically in their 60s and early 70s, financially secure, in good health, strong social connections. Highest overall levels of happiness.

Can do and connected – usually in their 70s or 80s and often widowed. Poor health and lacking disposable income, but higher than average levels of happiness. Strong social connections, can rely on others and have a positive outlook on life.

Struggling and alone – distributed across all ages. Long standing health conditions affecting social connections, financial security and ability to work. Likely to be living alone, with few people to rely on and lowest levels of happiness

Worried and disconnected – typically aged 70+ and retired. Financially stable, but sometimes with poor health. More likely to be socially isolated, often due to bereavement or losing connections they had through work. Below average levels of happiness.

Downbeat boomers – demographically similar to thriving boomers. Financially secure, in good health, strong social connections, but only average levels of happiness.

Squeezed middle aged – predominantly in their 50s, in good health, still in work. Squeezed for time, finances and at home. May have caring responsibilities, with less time for social connections or preparations for later life. Low scores of happiness.


Worried and disconnected

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29%4%

64%44%

73%81%

74%58%


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Making a valued contribution to my community


Unpaid altruistic activities beyond the immediate family formal volunteering or civic contributionsless formal / self-organised voluntary activity everyday acts of neighbourliness and helping out

Significant body of evidence on formal volunteering in older adults – both benefits and drivers

Much less evidence on informal contributions

Our interest is how these activities contribute to a better later life

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Making a contribution – benefits


Strong evidence that making a contribution (formal or informal) increases quantity and quality of social connections

Consistent evidence that good quality formal volunteering leads to wellbeing and life satisfaction benefits for older adults

Consistent association between volunteering and health, but evidence does not support a causal connection

Some evidence that volunteering can function as a route back into employment for people over 50, but relationship is not straightforward

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The benefits of contributing – health & wellbeing

1. Anderson, N., Kroger, E., Deirdre, R. et al (2014) The Benefits Associated With Volunteering Among Seniors: A Critical Review and Recommendations for Future Research, Psychological Bulletin 140(6)2. Nazroo, J. and Matthews, K. (2012) The impact of volunteering on well-being in later life, London: WRVS3. De Wit, A., Bekkers, R., Karamat Ali, D., and Verkaik, D. (2015) Welfare impacts of participation: report for Impact of Third Sector as Social Innovation project, Brussels: European Commission, DG Research

But healthier people are also more likely to volunteerLimited evidence on causal direction especially for physical health

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Volunteering in older adults is “consistently associated with reduced symptoms of depression, better self-reported health, fewer functional limitations and reduced mortality”

But good UK evidence that people who undertake good quality, formal volunteering report improved wellbeing as a resultEffects are significant but not transformational – “we should not expect miracles from participation”3

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10Presentation title

The benefits of contributing – wellbeing

Social connections

Structure and purpose

Feedback and validationWellbeing

Life SatisfactionQuality of Life

Mental Health

ReciprocityAccess to mutual

/ peer supportpeer supportSelf

Management

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The benefits of contributing – employment


1. Paine, A., McKay, S., Moro, D. (2013) Does volunteering improve employability? Insights from the British Household Panel Survey and beyond, Voluntary Sector Review 4(3)2. Morrow-Howell, N., Hong, S., and Tang, F. (2009) Who Benefits From Volunteering? Variations in Perceived Benefits, Gerontologist, 49 (1)3. Kamerade and Ellis (2014) Volunteering and employability: implications for policy and practice, Voluntary Sector Review, 5(2)

Cohort studies show that frequent volunteering is associated with an increased chance of returning to work for older adults1

Consistent evidence that volunteering increases scope and quality of social networksEvidence suggests that volunteering can boost self-esteem, efficacy and sense of purpose 2

But labour market conditions and employer preferences are more significant – evidence does not support straightforward causal link between volunteering, employability and employment 3

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Making a contribution – who benefits?


Social connections

Wellbeing

Worried and disconnected

Downbeat Boomers

Squeezed middle aged

Struggling and alone Health

Financial security

Reciprocity and mutual support


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Making a contribution – who benefits?



Social connections

Wellbeing

People with lower levels of income or education

People with mild / moderate mental health

problems

People with incipient / low level unmet

household care needs

Reciprocity and mutual support

See e.g. Principi, A., Schippers, J., Naegele, G., Di Rosa, M. and Lamura, G. (2016) Understanding the link between older volunteers’ resources and motivation to volunteer, Educational Gerontology, 42 (2)

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Until 75, age is not strongly correlated with volunteering

Community Life Survey 201516 to 25 26 to 34 35 to 49 50 to 64 65 to 74 75 and over

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Making a contribution – who contributes?


Proportion of people formally volunteering at least once a year by age, 2014-15

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Age is not a significant determinant of making a contribution

Community Life Survey 2015



16-49 50-64 65-74 75+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Formal volunteering Informal volunteering Chat to neighbours

Proportion of people making frequent contributions by age, 2014-15

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Health, socioeconomic status and ethnicity are much more strongly correlated to volunteering than age

Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%Proportion of people aged 50+ involved in formal volunteering by

health status, 2006-10

Nazroo, J. and Matthews, K. (2012) The impact of volunteering on well-being in later life, London: WRVS

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Community Contributions in Later Life – What do we know?But some evidence that informal help is not correlated with socioeconomic status (e.g. SHARE)

Proportion of people aged 50+ involved in formal volunteering by wealth, 2006-10

Nazroo, J. and Matthews, K. (2012) The impact of volunteering on well-being in later life, London: WRVS

Poorest Second quintile Third quintile Fourth quintile Richest0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Support Systems• Advertising / recruitment• Matching

• Training & support• Flexibility & fit• Feedback & value

• Prior experience or association

• Rich social networks• Neighbourhood

satisfaction• Religious participation• Socioeconomic

status / income• Health status• Education

Physical Activity programme mini-review process July 2016

Motivation

Capability

Opportunities

What drives participation?


Why do people volunteer?

Social and community normsInstitutional, policy and legal framework

Resources and infrastructure – financial and physical

(2016, forthcoming) Motivations, barriers and opportunities for making a contribution in later life, Centre for Ageing Better

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Limited capability – e.g. low literacy, disability and poor health, especially poor mental health, costs of participation

Barriers to volunteering in later life – individual


1. e.g. Banks, J., Nazroo, J. and Steptoe, A. (2014) Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: 2002-2012, London: Institute for Fiscal Studies2. e.g. Dury, S., Donder, L., Witte, N., Buffel, T., Jacquet, W. and Verte, D. (2015) To volunteer or not: the influence of individual characteristics, resources and social factors on the likelihood of volunteering by older adults, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 44 (6) 3. e.g. Morrow-Howell, N. (2010) Volunteering in later life: Research frontiers, The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 65(4)

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Absence of motivating factors – cohort studies highlight lack of prior experience or association with volunteering (as well as lack of interest!)

Limited social networks – evidence highlights both fewer relationships, especially with people who already volunteer, and weaker / poorer quality social and community networks 3

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Barriers to volunteering in later life – structural


Ageism and discrimination – evidence suggests both self-limiting attitudes (“I’m too old”, “It’s not for me”) and lack of welcoming and inclusive support systems or social norms

Social and community norms that exclude / devalue older people and/or that direct their energies towards other activities – cohort analysis shows that ‘social context … has a significant impact on prevalence of volunteering’

Lack of suitable opportunities and support – especially flexibility (e.g. timing, adjustments for health or capability) and recognition, as well as things that people want to do 1. e.g. Gill, Z. (2006) Older people and volunteering, Government of South Australia, Office for Volunteers; Drever, E.

(2010) 2008-09 Citizenship Survey Volunteering and Charitable Giving Topic Report, DCLG2. Hank, K. and Erlinghagen, M. (2010) Dynamics of volunteering in older Europeans, The Gerontologist 50 (2)3. e.g. Tang, F., Morrow-Howell, N. and Choi, E. (2010) Why Do Older Adult Volunteers Stop Volunteering? Ageing and Society, 30

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Volunteering in later life – myths


The evidence suggests that some commonly cited factors are not straightforwardly correlated to likelihood of participation:

Time – while time is consistently cited as the major barrier to participation by people who don’t currently volunteer, this declines in later life, especially above age 75

Caring – studies do not tend to show a correlation between caring responsibilities and levels of participation – indeed, cohort data shows that grandparents providing non-residential care for a grandchild are more likely to volunteer

Bereavement and divorce – most studies do not find any influence of widowhood or divorce on volunteering

1. Bulanda, J. and Jendrek, P. (2016) Grandparenting roles and volunteer activity, Journal of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences, 71 (1)

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Work and volunteering in later life


Retirement – cohort data doesn’t support the idea that people are more likely to volunteer after retirement (except for higher status workers)

Work – US data shows that staying in work or maintaining work-related social networks is associated with higher levels of volunteering

Employment – evidence doesn’t suggest straightforward causal links between volunteering, employability and employment

1. Lancee, B. and Radl, J. (2014) Volunteering over the life course, Social Forces, 93 (2)2. Lengfeld, H. and Ordemann (2016) The long shadow of occupation: volunteering in retirement, Rationality and Society, 28 (1)3. Tang, F. (2015) Retirement Patterns and Their Relationship to Volunteering, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly

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Making a contribution – evidence gaps

Informal contributions Who is making contributions (and who isn’t)? What are the benefits? What are the motivations and barriers to contributing? What should be done to encourage more (if anything)?

New forms of contribution (e.g. micro-volunteering, impact volunteering, digital, timebanking, peer-led, social enterprises)

What is happening? What are the benefits of different forms of contribution? How do the motivations and barriers to participation differ (if at all)?What should be done to encourage more (if anything)?


Making a contribution – evidence gaps

Under-represented groups (e.g. BME, C2DE)What are people actually doing? What are their motivations and barriers to contributing? What should be done to help and support them better (if anything)?

“Under-benefiting” groups (e.g. people with limited social capital, people with life-limiting conditions)

What are their motivations and barriers to contributing? What are the benefits of contributing, and how do these stack up against the barriers and opportunity costs / other potential support? What should be done to help and support them better (if anything)?

Support Systems• Inclusiveness• Advertising / recruitment• Matching

• Training & support• Flexibility & fit• Feedback & value

• Prior experience or association

• Rich social networks• Neighbourhood

satisfaction• Religious participation• Socioeconomic

status / income• Health status• Education

Physical Activity programme mini-review process July 2016

Motivation

Capability

Opportunities

What drives participation?


Ageing Better’s research agenda

Social and community normsInstitutional, policy and legal framework

Resources and infrastructure – financial and physical

(2016, forthcoming) Motivations, barriers and opportunities for making a contribution in later life, Centre for Ageing Better

Survey / data analysis on trends / drivers for

target groups Insight and

co-design with people

in target groups

Call for practice on systems of

support

Deep dives into most promising practices

and places

Contact

Centre for Ageing Better Level 3, Angel Building407 St John StLondon EC1V 4AD020 3829 0113ageing-better.org.uk

Registered Company Number: 8838490 & Charity Registration Number: 1160741

Questions?Dan Jones, Director of Innovation & [email protected]

07887 551039

The Centre for Ageing Better received £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund in January 2015 in the form of

an endowment to enable it to identify what works in the ageing sector by bridging the gap between

research, evidence and practice.

community contributions in later life

Government & Nonprofit