They found more than a quarter of people over 60 volunteered, and those who did rated better on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
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Researchers said that although previous studies have linked volunteering in middle age and old age with improved mental and physical health, it’s never been clear whether these benefits could be applicable to other age groups as well ― until now.
Only data gathered between 1996 and 2008 was looked at.
When age was factored in, the researchers found a positive association between volunteering and good mental health that became apparent at around the age of 40 and strengthened with age.
The BHPS also included a validated proxy for mental health/emotional wellbeing known as the GHQ-12.
Around 21% of respondents said they had carried out some kind of formal volunteering activity with women tending to volunteer more than men.
The study is not the first to link volunteering to better health.
Across the entire sample, the average GHQ score was the best (lowest) among those who were frequent volunteers and worst (highest) among those who never volunteered.
Volunteer work may be good for your mental wellbeing, but only after age 40, according to a new study.
The findings held up even after the researchers controlled for a number of other factors, including marital status, educational level, social class, and overall physical health.
The positive effect of volunteering was seen from age 40 and up to age 80 and beyond, with a peak between age 45 to 50, a decline from midlife up to 75, and then another increase from around 80, leading researchers to suggest that volunteering may be of particular benefit to older people, especially those who live in isolation, providing them with a sense of goal and increased social networks.
“As a result, we were unable to examine important selection effects, such as whether poor health might have limited whether or not individuals participate in volunteering particularly at old age”, she said.
Yet, the same perceived mental health benefits of volunteering were not seen in younger participants, and the authors have some theories as to why.
“For middle aged and older people, volunteering has beneficial effects because of the social roles and family connections which are more likely to promote volunteering at that stage of the life-course”, Dr. Faiza Tabassum of Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom said.
Furthermore, Kiosses points out that it’s not clear which way the relationship goes.
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But an observational study like this one can’t prove that one thing, like volunteering, causes another thing, like improved emotional wellbeing, she said. The researchers were not able to gauge the extent of “informal” volunteering, such as helping out neighbours so couldn’t capture the full spectrum of voluntary activities.
