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Postretirement work and volunteering by poverty groups informed by role theory
Joonyoung Cho1, BoRin Kim2, Sojung Park1
1a George Warren Brown School of Social Work , Washington University in Saint Louis , St. Louis , Missouri , USA.
Journal of Gerontological Social Work
|December 14, 2017
Summary
Engaging in postretirement work boosts volunteering among older adults. However, poverty status impacts this relationship, with near-poverty individuals showing a stronger work-volunteering link.
Area of Science:
- Social Gerontology
- Sociology of Retirement
- Volunteerism Studies
Background:
- Understanding retiree engagement is crucial for social well-being.
- Role theory provides a framework for analyzing postretirement activities.
- Poverty status can influence participation in civic activities among older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between postretirement work and volunteering in older retirees.
- To examine how poverty status moderates the relationship between work and volunteering.
- To inform volunteer program development for the aging population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
- Focused on a sample of older retirees (N = 6,619).
- Employed role theory to analyze associations between work, volunteering, and poverty.
Main Results:
- Postretirement work was positively associated with increased volunteering.
- Poverty emerged as a significant risk factor for volunteering among older retirees.
- The positive impact of postretirement work on volunteering was more pronounced in the near-poverty group.
Conclusions:
- Postretirement work is a facilitator of volunteer engagement.
- Poverty presents a barrier to volunteering, but its interaction with work is complex.
- Findings offer empirical support for targeted volunteer program design for diverse retiree socioeconomic statuses.
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