Organizational and Older Adult Volunteer Perspectives on Role Conflict Management Strategies
Abstract/ Summary
Poster Presentation at the Gerontological Society of America
Presentation Date: November 13, 2019
Presentation Location: Austin, TX
Older adults are increasingly occupying multiple life roles, including working, caregiving, and volunteering, creating the opportunity for role conflict. Such conflict occurs when stress and strain created by the demands of multiple life roles outstrips an individual’s resources to successfully manage such demands.
A two-phase research study was completed with 1,697 Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers (ages 55+) drawn from 55 RSVP program sites across the country (Phase I) with a follow-up survey of RSVP programs conducted with 17 sites (Phase II). Grounded in role theory, the Phase I volunteer survey explored role conflict in addition to self-reported strategies used to mitigate the experience of role conflict. The Phase II program survey gathered responses from volunteer managers and staff about the strategies used by their older adult volunteers to avoid and address role conflict. Results from both surveys were examined for commonalities and divergence between older adult perspectives and volunteer manager perspectives.