Volunteering Characteristics, Social Support, and Successful Aging: Mediation Effects of Volunteer Satisfaction and Gender Differences

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of volunteer activity characteristics and social support on successful aging and the mediating effects of volunteer satisfaction and gender differences, along with the relationships among these variables. Another purpose of this study is to help form policy and practice recommendations to improve volunteer satisfaction through technology (smart phones, Internet, ICT) for both the men and women. A self-administered survey was given to elderly people aged 60 and older living in Gwangju and Jeolla Province, South Korea. 542 participants that are currently volunteering or regularly participated in volunteering work for more than 6 months were included in this study. The results obtained in this study showed that purposive motivation, the size of friend/neighbor networks and family support can be used to predict the successful aging of men and women. In terms of gender differences, social network size affected the successful aging of men through volunteer satisfaction. Meanwhile, the size of family/relative networks had a positive effect on the successful aging of women. Both men and women with a higher motivation to volunteer are more likely to experience successful aging through volunteer satisfaction.