![to the growing human resource of the aging population and the need to expand opportunites for
older adults to sustain involvement in paid and unpaid roles and make economic and social
contributions. These advocates have also pointed to antiquated social structures, policies and
programs that limit volunteer engagement of current cohorts of older adults and threaten to
curtail the involvement of the 78 million baby boomers in their later years. Non-profit
organizations are not ready to take advantage of older adults, and calls have been made for the
strategies to increase the institutional capacity of the nonprofit sector to engage older volunteers
and baby boomers.” (Hong, Tang, Morrow-Howell, & Hinterlong, 2009)
“Forty-two percent of people who don’t volunteer say it isn’t a lack of interest that prevents
them from donating their time, but rather difficulty finding opportunites where they feel they can
make a difference, use their skills, or act on personal values.” (Michaels, 2007)
Why do people volunteer – understanding motives?
“As people get older and enter the third trimester of life, they often find volunteering a good
substitute to social roles they lost, such as work and active parenthood.” (Haski-Leventhal, 2009)
“…continuity theory assumes that persons have different personalities and lifestyles, and while
getting older, people strive to hold on to their core characteristics and values…people of older
age tend to make decisions and behave according to patters formed at a younger age…studies
show people who volunteered when they were younger, also tend to do so as they age.” (Haski-
Leventhal, 2009)
“Agency recruiting and retention success depends in part on understanding the various reasons
why individuals volunteer…individual characteristics, agency efforts to attract and retain
volunteers and cultural norms [are all necessary] to bring a volunteer and agency together for a
lasting relationship.” (Hartenian, 2009)
(Nassar-McMillan, Sylvia, & Lambert, 2003) Suggests using job descriptions and performance
evaluations to define roles and provide feedback on work performed.
“Good social relationships inside the organization, support from the organization staff, positive
evaluation of the job they perform and training they receive contribute positively to their
intention of remaining in the volunteer activity. The creation of affective bonds with other
members of the organization can make volunteers reluctant to break those bonds and therefore,
they remain volunteers.” (Hidalgo & Moreno, 2009)
“Important to the volunteer is the perceived importance of volunteer work and its relationship to
pride and respect. Organizational support and commitment are related to the experience of
respect, pride, and perceived importance. Overall, studies suggest that volunteer organizations
may do well to implement pride and respect in their volunteer policy, to address the reliability or
retention problem” (Wilson, 2012)
“Baby boomers who volunteered for multiple groups were more likely to keep volunteering the
second year. This suggests that a real opportunity to increase volunteering among baby boomers](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/2fd10063-9386-4f03-a767-e18c646e6fb1-150830215012-lva1-app6892/85/research-paper-with-ref-6-320.jpg)
research paper with ref
- 1. The Role of Baby Boomers as Volunteers: A Potential Solution to Caring for the Aging Population in the Presence of a Caregiver Shortage Sretta Clark GERO 505 – Fall 2014
- 2. Introduction The aging of the population presents two unique and related challenges. The first challenge is the unprecedented volume of seniors that will be represented in society. This phenomena is the result of many factors including the aging of the baby boomer cohort; advances in medical technology leading to longer life spans; and positive changes in individual behaviors, such as attention to a healthy diet and engagement in physical activity. The second challenge results from the lower birthrate. Young adults have been choosing to delay starting families, or in some cases, forgoing having children altogether, in favor of pursuing careers or other personal goals. This decision will impact the number of both professional and personal caregivers to provide for the needs of the aging population. In light of the challenges outlined, it is crucial that we act quickly and aggressively to identify and develop a means to rectify this shortcoming. My research will focus on the use of volunteers to compensate for this imbalance. I will examine the notion of employing young elderly volunteers (baby boomers) to provide a multitude of unskilled services to older elderly individuals. At the same time, incorporating the benefit of providing the baby boomers, a group who has historically been far more civically and socially engaged, with the opportunity to continue such lifestyle choices through volunteering. Care for the Elderly “For most of the nation’s history, caring for the elderly was a family affair carried out largely by women in the home…with the numbers of older Americans rapidly growing ever larger, the landscape of elder care in the United States is changing.” (Bookman & Kimbrel, 2011) Before we can postulate a plan of action, it is important that we first define and understand the nature of the challenge to be addressed. In this case, we find several interrelated challenges converging to make for a potential disaster for our nation’s elderly if we are unable to course- correct in a timely manner. For the purpose of this paper, this step is tantamount to conducting a needs assessment, by extrapolating from existing studies published in peer reviewed literature and compiled by human service organizations. (Kettner, Moroney, & Martin, 2013) Identifying the Need The first challenge to be understood is that of the rapidly accelerated aging of our population; an unprecedented event in human history. According to Schoeni & Ofstedal (2010), the portion of the world’s population aged 65 and over is expected to double between 2008 and 2040. To put this in numeric terms, this population will grow from 530 million to 1.3 billion. Furthermore, within this identified population, those age 80 and over, considered the “oldest old” is growing more rapidly than the population itself. The reason for this phenomena is twofold: 1) the decline in fertility, resulting from a societal shift in consciousness, in which the traditional goal of marrying young and having a large family is no longer the norm. Today, women are choosing to seek higher education and are entering the workforce; more focused on personal growth and success than on marriage and children. Furthermore, if and when marriage does occur, it is much later in life and large families are still yet not sought after; and 2) advance in medical technology have led to the extension of years. I am hesitant to state that we are “living
- 3. longer”, as in many cases, these advances have merely prolonged existence; adding to the quantity of life and not necessarily to the quality of life. Though we can now treat many diseases that were once certain to claim one’s life, we have simply moved them from the terminal disease list to the chronic disease list. An example would be HIV/AIDS, once a death sentence, this is now managed with medication. Sadly, ADL’s are still compromised and additional medical complications continue to exist, thus care is still required, and now required for longer periods of time. Alas, every blessing has its curse. The second challenge, again related to the low infertility rate, it the decline in the number of both professional and familial caregivers coupled with the desire to age in place. Most elders prefer living in their homes in the community. With the aforementioned statistics, all pointing to an immediate and rapidly expanding need for community-based services among the older population, “nearly 40% of non-profit agencies surveyed by Salamon et al. (2010) report that they lacked adequate staff to deliver services.” (Vinton, 2012) We have become keenly aware that the historic ideal of family caring for their loved ones in old age and the use of traditional long-term care options are painfully inadequate to meet such needs in the coming years. The third and final challenge is that of the baby boomers. This group is in fact a subset of the aging population, and comprises individuals born between 1946 and 1964. (Facts and Statistics about the Baby Boomer Generation, 2014) According to Baby Boomer-Magazine.com, baby boomers number 78 million. To offer another perspective on the impact of the aging population, consider that another baby boomer turns 50 every 7 seconds. Having come of age in the 60’s and 70’s, this cohort is accustomed to civic and social engagement, additionally they possess a variety of skills and are more highly educated. Finally, as a group they have a much different idea of aging, and the idea does not necessarily include participation in disengagement theory. On the contrary, they intend to remain engaged. “Our country holds a valuable resource in the form of the most highly skilled, well-educated, healthiest, and longest living generation in our nation’s history. And we need to take advantage of it. Boomers are expressing interest in…helping the elderly remain independent, and serving in programs such as Meals on Wheels…and yet 68 percent of non-volunteers feel they have not been asked to serve.” (Bridgeland & Wofford, 2008) Having identified three needs: 1) A rapidly growing aging population who will require care and would prefer that care to occur in their own homes; 2) A shrinking care-giver base resulting at least in part from decreased fertility rates; and 3) A massive influx of a young-old cohort (baby boomers) who want to remain activity engaged in their communities, but whose skills and talents are not being accessed and thus their needs are not being met. It is at this point that Kettner et al (2013) suggests that goals and objectives should be established. Goal and Objectives It has often been said that “the solution can be found within the problem”, this axiom certainly applies in this case. Within the aging population, resides a cohort who is ready, willing and able to provide valuable services to assist the elderly with a plethora of otherwise unmet needs, and at the same time, allowing this population to remain in their homes, aging in place. It
- 4. would appear however that this group has either been underutilized or that its importance has been unrecognized entirely. A growing potential exists for volunteerism in an aging society. Approximately half of baby boomers report that they want to remain involved in the community. Despite the potential for an increase in their volunteer activity, older adults are still an underutilized resource. (Hong, Tang, Morrow-Howell, & Hinterlong, 2009) In addition, according to a 2007 study released by the Corporation for National and Community Services, of the baby boomers who do volunteer, 31 percent of those who volunteer for one year fail to return the following year. Such a turnover rate would most certainly be frowned upon and addressed in the business world, and it would behoove us as nonprofit managers to investigate these events within our organizations as well. (Michaels, 2007 and Perry, Boomer Volunteers Often Give up Duties, 2007) The National Council on Aging argues that the locus for innovation in engagement of the older population in volunteer roles resides with local communities and nonprofit organizations. Although nonprofits stand to benefit from effectively utilizing the growing older population, few are positioned to do so well…leaders lack experience in engaging older volunteers in meaningful ways and are not convinced that directing resources toward this end in beneficial. (Hong, Tang, Morrow-Howell, & Hinterlong, 2009) It is clear that the goal is to effectively recruit, train, and retain members of the baby boomer cohort to subsidize the care of the elderly. The question is how we as program planners can accomplish this task. I would offer that we must: 1) understand what a volunteer is; 2) understand the motivations an individual possesses for volunteering; 3) design a program in such a manner that such motivations are incorporated and properly exploited to ensure continued service; and 4) design a sustainable program based on these findings. Program Design A volunteer is someone who is willing to provide help or some kind of service to the community without receiving any monetary reward for this service. They are financially independent of the organization they work for; they can contribute to a country’s economic and social development; and they experience stress and dissatisfaction in their jobs, like paid workers do. (Huynh, Metzer, & Winefield, 2012) Knowing why people volunteer can enhance the recruitment and retention of volunteers, while a deeper understanding of the motivations to volunteer could also be useful for the effective placement into appropriate positions. (Shye, 2010) According to Hartenian (2009), volunteers are motived by either altruistic or egoistic reasons or a combination of both. When we think of volunteering, we traditionally see the act to be one of altruism, carried out with a concern for the welfare of others, and often at a great personal expense to the volunteer. Individuals motivated by altruism are a great asset to an organization as they do not anticipate financial remuneration and in fact, often expect to give far more than they receive. The organization may anticipate that these individuals will be more committed and become long-term volunteers. By contrast, volunteers who possess an egoistic orientation, come to the organization with an agenda. Various egoistic reasons for volunteering
- 5. have been offered, all related to some personal gain obtained by the act. These can include: to improve one’s own status, to gain job experience, to meet new people, to avoid punishment, or simply to feel good about oneself. It seems contradictory that one could be considered a “volunteer” when in fact they appear to have their own agenda as opposed to possessing pure altruistic reasoning. This however, is no reason to turn our backs on this group, for several reasons. Egoistic orientations have been linked to positive outcomes for the organization. The number of people who volunteer for egoistic reasons is likely much higher than those who are purely altruistic. Finally, the two orientations are not mutually exclusive and may in fact reside in the same individual. “Activity theory predicts that an individual will volunteer to stay busy. Role theory predicts that the individual will volunteer to belong to a larger social group, complete with role expectations. Psychological contract theory suggests that individuals and agencies will recognize their obligation to each other. Egoism cannot be attached to the idea of commitment as commitment develops after the individual begins the volunteering. “Commitment is the attitude that reflects identification with an organization and the acceptance of its goals.” Thus even if one begins to volunteer with an egoistic orientation, the development of commitment could lead to an altruistic orientation. (Hartenian, 2009) Discussion The review of literature for this research, while thorough, is by no means exhaustive. A wealth of information exists, positing many additional theories and approaches to volunteer recruitment and retention. What is important is that we realize, and assist the baby boomer cohort in realizing that while directing their skills, talent, and time towards caring for the older aging population, they not only help this group, but in fact help themselves. As the baby boomers themselves move into the older-old category, there will be even fewer professional and familial caregivers to assist them. With this in mind, it would be wise for future research to explore how this cohort might band together in flexible communal arrangements to take care of each other’s needs. Such a system of peer care would decrease the need for elderly people to rely exclusively on publicly funded and/or family provided long-term care. (Tong, 2009) Conclusion “…long-term care policy discussions generally ignore the fact that the elderly are significant caregivers as well as recipients of care – caring for grandchildren, disabled adult children, and other elderly people. “Productivity and a sense of accomplishment are key ingredients in the process of successful aging. Older adults who are able to use their talents and abilities tend to experience fewer symptoms of depression than older people who have not found a viable avenue for self- expression. Rosow (1976) observed that aging in a roleless-role; as people grow older they give up many roles they once occupied (spouse, employee, parent). The void created by this phenomena often goes unfilled as new roles have not been created for them.” (Krause, 2010) “Older adults experience positive effects from volunteering, and organizations are able to expand their mission and produce positive outcomes for clients such as well-being, life satisfaction, and better mental health and physical function. Aging advocated have long pointed
- 6. to the growing human resource of the aging population and the need to expand opportunites for older adults to sustain involvement in paid and unpaid roles and make economic and social contributions. These advocates have also pointed to antiquated social structures, policies and programs that limit volunteer engagement of current cohorts of older adults and threaten to curtail the involvement of the 78 million baby boomers in their later years. Non-profit organizations are not ready to take advantage of older adults, and calls have been made for the strategies to increase the institutional capacity of the nonprofit sector to engage older volunteers and baby boomers.” (Hong, Tang, Morrow-Howell, & Hinterlong, 2009) “Forty-two percent of people who don’t volunteer say it isn’t a lack of interest that prevents them from donating their time, but rather difficulty finding opportunites where they feel they can make a difference, use their skills, or act on personal values.” (Michaels, 2007) Why do people volunteer – understanding motives? “As people get older and enter the third trimester of life, they often find volunteering a good substitute to social roles they lost, such as work and active parenthood.” (Haski-Leventhal, 2009) “…continuity theory assumes that persons have different personalities and lifestyles, and while getting older, people strive to hold on to their core characteristics and values…people of older age tend to make decisions and behave according to patters formed at a younger age…studies show people who volunteered when they were younger, also tend to do so as they age.” (Haski- Leventhal, 2009) “Agency recruiting and retention success depends in part on understanding the various reasons why individuals volunteer…individual characteristics, agency efforts to attract and retain volunteers and cultural norms [are all necessary] to bring a volunteer and agency together for a lasting relationship.” (Hartenian, 2009) (Nassar-McMillan, Sylvia, & Lambert, 2003) Suggests using job descriptions and performance evaluations to define roles and provide feedback on work performed. “Good social relationships inside the organization, support from the organization staff, positive evaluation of the job they perform and training they receive contribute positively to their intention of remaining in the volunteer activity. The creation of affective bonds with other members of the organization can make volunteers reluctant to break those bonds and therefore, they remain volunteers.” (Hidalgo & Moreno, 2009) “Important to the volunteer is the perceived importance of volunteer work and its relationship to pride and respect. Organizational support and commitment are related to the experience of respect, pride, and perceived importance. Overall, studies suggest that volunteer organizations may do well to implement pride and respect in their volunteer policy, to address the reliability or retention problem” (Wilson, 2012) “Baby boomers who volunteered for multiple groups were more likely to keep volunteering the second year. This suggests that a real opportunity to increase volunteering among baby boomers
- 7. by asking people who are already engaged to do more.”(Perry, Boomer Volunteers Often Give up Duties, 2007) Volunteers are not motivated monetarily and so they cannot be motivated my salary raises or bonuses (Huynh, Metzer, & Winefield, 2012) “In order to retain older adult volunteers, volunteer placement should be evaluated periodically so as to ensure that volunteer experiences remain consistent with the outcomes expected by all parties involved.” (Jirovec, 2005) “With an increasing number of elderly, frail, or disabled people living in the community, the need for supportive services that assist them to retain their independence safely rises. With this increase comes a need for unpaid volunteers who are able to provide competent, personalized care. Retaining and recruiting this ‘army’ of volunteers is a challenge for the future, and an understanding of their motivations to volunteer and needs for a satisfactory experience is paramount to a successful volunteer program.” (Wilson, 2012) “A well-managed volunteer program can mean that services to clients so not necessarily have to be cut, Older, community-dwelling persons who cannot afford to pay privately for in-home care and who do not have a medically based need for home health care covered by Medicare or Medicaid struggle to get the help they need and often turn to non-profit aging service agencies. If older individuals who are in need of services are helped even to a small degree and volunteering positively enhances volunteers, it would seem that the benefits outweigh the costs of effective volunteer programs.” (Vinton, 2012) “Elderly volunteers not only provide services that otherwise would be unavailable or expensive, but they can also provide compatible services to older clients, understanding their needs and situations.” (Haski-Leventhal, 2009) THE REFERENCES ARE NOT CURRENT – RE DOWNLOAD TO GET ALL IN References Bookman, A., & Kimbrel, D. (2011). Families and Elder Care in the Twenty-First Century. The Future of Children, 21(2), 117-140. Bridgeland, J. M., & Wofford, H. L. (2008, September 24). The Next Generation of Willing and Ready Volunteers: Baby Boomers. Christian Science Monitor, p. 9. Browdie, R. (2010). The Future of Aging Services in America. Journal of the American Society on Aging, 34(3), 56-60. Brudney, J., & Nezhina, T. (2005). What is Old is New Again: Achieving Effectiveness with Volunteer Programs in Kazakhstan. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizatons, 16(3), 293-308.
- 8. Evashwick, C., & Ory, M. (2003). Organizational Characteristics of Successful Innovative Health Care Programs Sustained Over Time. Family Community Health, 26(3), 177-193. Fitzpatrick, T., & McCabe, J. (2008). Future Challenges for Senior Center Programming to Serve Younger and More Active Baby Boomers. Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 32(3-4), 198- 211. Ford, C., Henderson, J., & Handley, D. (2010). Enhancing Long-Term Care for Older Adults: An Exploratoin of Interagency Collaboration within Geriatric Ecucation Centers. Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 32(4), 447-485. Gazley, B. (2012). Predicting a Volunteers' Future Intentions in Pofessional Associations: A Test of the Penner Model. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 42(6), 1245-1267. Hartenian, L. L. (2009). Egoism and Commitment: A Multidimensional Approach to Understanding Sustained Volunteering. Journal of Managerial Issues, 21(1), 97-118. Haski-Leventhal, D. (2009). Elderly Volunteering and Well-Being: A Cross-European Comparison Based on SHARE Data. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizatoins, 20(4), 338-404. Hidalgo, M. C., & Moreno, P. (2009). Organizational Socialization of Volunteers: The Effects on their Intention to Remain. Journal of Community Psychology, 37(5), 594-601. Hong, S.-l., Tang, F., Morrow-Howell, N., & Hinterlong, J. (2009). Engaging Older Americans in Volunteering: Conceptualizing and Measuring Institutional Capacity. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(2), 200-219. Huynh, J., Metzer, J., & Winefield, A. (2012). Engaged or Connected? A Perspective of the Motivational Pathway of the Job Demands-Resources Model in Volunteers Working for Nonprofit Organization. Voluntas, 23, 870-898. Jirovec, R. (2005). Differences in Family Functioning and Health Between Older Adult Volunteers and Non-Volunteers. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 46(2), 23-35. Kadlec, D. (2006). The Right Way to Volunteer. Time, 168(10), p. 76. Karl, K. A., Peluchette, J. V., & Hall, L. M. (2008). Give Them Something to Smile About: A Marketing Strategy for Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 20(1), 71-96. Michaels, M. (2007). Charities Face Trouble Keeping Volunteers and Attracting New Ones, Study Finds. Chronicles of Philanthropy, 19(14), p. 37. Nassar-McMillan, Sylvia, & Lambert, R. (2003). The Relationship Between Volunteers' Work Behaviors and Background and Preparation Variables. Journal of Adult Development, 10(2), 89-97. Perry, S. (2005). Attracting Baby Boomers: A Resource Guide. Chronicles of Philanthropy, 18(4), p. 14.
- 9. Perry, S. (2007). Boomer Volunteers Often Give up Duties. Chronicles of Philanthropy, 19(11), p. 19. Perry, S. (2008). Nonprofit Groups Seek to Win Federal Support for Older Volunteers. Chronicles of Philanthropy, 20(13), p. 43. RespectAbility. (2006). RespectAbility in America: Profiles of the Most Promising Initiatives Engaging Adults 55+. Washington, D.C.: National Council on Aging. Rogers, S. E., Rogers, C. M., & Boyd, K. D. (2013). Challenges and Opportunities in Healthcare Volunteer Management. Hospital Topics, 91(2), 43-51. Shye, S. (2010). The Motivation to Volunteer: A Systemic Quality of Life Theory. Soc Indic Res, 98, 183-200. doi:10.1007/s11025-009-9545-3 Tong, R. (2009). Long-Term Care for the Elderly Worldwide: Whose responsibility is it? International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, 2(2), 5-30. Vinton, L. (2012). Professional Administration of Volunteer Programs Now More Than Ever: A Case Example. Administration in Social Work, 36(2), 133-148. Wilson, A. (2012). Supporting Family Volunteers to Increase Retention and Recruitment . International Scholarly Research Network. doi:10.5402/2012/698756