Volunteering over 70: Society’s perception of older people may affect the benefits of this activity

Researchers from the Centre for Psychological Research and Social Intervention (CIS-Iscte) and the University of Zaragoza, examined how the subjective social status of people over 70 moderates the benefits in well-being associated with participation voluntary activities for this demographic. The results have implications in informing inclusive policies and practices that can maximize the positive impacts of volunteering later in life.

© Canva Teams

“Previous research has consistently shown that social inequalities are closely linked to poorer health and well-being in later life”, social psychologist and CIS-Iscte researcher Luísa Lima explains.

According to the researcher, volunteering has been identified as a powerful resource for older adults, as it can enhance psychological well-being, strengthen self-esteem, and reduce depressive symptoms. Despite such benefits, “people aged over 70 volunteer significantly less than those, let’s say, in their fifties or sixties”. Then, why do older adults engage less in volunteering? According to Luísa Lima, there are numerous factors that may affect one’s willingness to participate in such activities, from physical and cognitive constraints that may limit older people’s involvement, to other people’s perceptions of their ability to do so. “Volunteering patterns vary depending on the type of activity and the country in which people live, suggesting an important role of social and cultural contexts”, the researcher clarifies. In western societies, older adults are often perceived as having lower power, status, and social value than middle-aged adults, which may shape both their opportunities to engage in volunteering and their well-being.

Past research has largely focused on how objective factors such as income and education influence the relationship between volunteering and subjective well-being. In this study, published in 2025, the researcher team composed of scientists from CIS-Iscte and the University of Zaragoza, examined how the subjective social status – how people perceive their position within the social hierarchy – may influence that relationship among people aged 70 and over, within different European welfare systems.

Based on data from the European Social Survey (ESS) collected between 2008 and 2010, the research team conducted analyses on information from 8331 people aged over 70 from 29 European countries. They examined different aspects of people’s lives, namely: whether they volunteered or not, how they felt about their lives (their health, their happiness, their overall satisfaction), people’s gender, education, income, and marital status. More importantly, the research team computed an indicator at the national level of how much older people are generally respected in that country (i.e., their subjective social status) based on how ESS respondents consider that most people in their country perceive the status of older adults. The research team used multilevel modeling to analyze the data at the individual and national level, considering different welfare systems, which helped them to understand not only whether volunteering helps, but under what social conditions it helps more, or less.

The results of the study showed that older adults who volunteer report better outcomes in terms of health, happiness, and life satisfaction than those who do not participate in those activities. This pattern was clear and consistent across European countries.

"This study reveals a critical psychological mechanism: the moderating effect of societal perceptions of aging on volunteering benefits follows a pattern consistent with social identity theory, where perceived social status amplifies or dampens the self-esteem and purpose derived from prosocial behaviors in later life," explains Julia Sánchez-García, lead author from the University of Zaragoza.

Specifically, researchers found that the positive link between volunteering and well-being was significantly stronger in countries where older adults are viewed as having higher social status and are treated with greater respect. According to the study, in such contexts, volunteering is associated with better self-rated health, higher happiness, and greater overall life for people over 70. In contrast, that link was weaker in countries where older adults are perceived more negatively or face stronger ageist attitudes.

Sibila Marques (CIS-Iscte), also author of this study, explains that “societal perceptions of aging play a crucial role in shaping how much older people benefit from social engagement and voluntary activities”. She adds that “our analyses also indicated that living in a society that attribute a higher social status to older people was directly associated with better health and well-being in later life”. The researcher suggests that reducing ageism and strengthening respect for older people can potentially improve participation in volunteering and its positive effects on well-being.

The research team concludes that improving the social status of older adults through inclusive, intergenerational policies could strengthen the well-being benefits of volunteering and support the achievement of healthy, active, and equitable aging in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The authors of this research published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology are Julia Sánchez‐García (University of Zaragoza), Maria Luísa Lima (CIS-Iscte), Sibila Marques (CIS-Iscte), Ana Isabel Gil‐Lacruz (University of Zaragoza), and Marta Gil‐Lacruz (University of Zaragoza).