Is volunteering a substitute for role loss in old age? An empirical test of activity theory.

Numerous articles in popular magazines as well as scholarly and practitioner journals describe the positive benefits of volunteering for the elderly (cf. Babic, 1972; Einstein, 1973; Crady & Kastetler, 1970; Swartz, 1978). Both the public and private sectors have acknowledged the importance of volunteering by the aged and a number of programs are specifically designed to encourage and to facilitate their involvement (Freund, 1971; Sainer & Kallen, 1972; Sainer & Zander, 1971b; Seguin & O'Brien, 1976; Stone & Velmans, 1980). Programs like RSVP, SCORE and the Foster Grandparents program are generally viewed as having two major functions: to provide individuals with meaningful leisure activities and to provide organizations with experienced and reliable workers at no cost. Volunteering could potentially fulfill a number of different needs of the aged: to engage in altruistic behavior, to acquire new experiences and skills, or to gain political influence. The literature on senior citizen volunteering emphasizes another function, namely, that it serves as a way of dealing with role loss in old age: