Document Type
Report
Edition
March 2024
Publication Date
3-2024
Abstract/ Summary
Participation in volunteering has been linked to positive health and well-being improvements for older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults were at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 infections and adverse effects resulting in social isolation. Virtual volunteering began gaining momentum as a way to meaningfully engage older adults and support non-profit organizations impacted by shutdowns. However, now as the pandemic enters a new phase, questions remain about the current use of virtual volunteerism and its future within older adult volunteer programming. The goal of this study was to better understand the benefits and challenges that have come with virtual volunteering during and post-COVID. Interviews were conducted with 36 representatives from 30 organizations - 16 RSVP volunteer programs and 14 non-RSVP key informants with expertise in technology and volunteerism. Emerging themes highlight the positive and negative impacts of COVID on older adult volunteerism, the challenges and benefits of virtual volunteerism strategies, and the projected future opportunities for virtual volunteer engagement.
Repository Citation
Crittenden, Jennifer; Butler, Sandra; Flippen, Eve; Tarbox, Nathan; Campbell, Leah; Chapman, Chelsea; and Thorne, Adrienna, "Current Practices and Future Use of Virtual Volunteerism Among Older Adults: Interviews with RSVP Programs and Key Informants in Technology and Volunteerism" (2024). Maine Center on Aging Education and Training. 34.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/moca_education/34
Version
pre-print (i.e. pre-refereeing)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.