Volunteerism Among Older Adults

What happens when a lifetime of experience, skills, and wisdom is redirected toward serving others?

Volunteerism Among Older Adults: Enrichment Through Serving Others by Janice Airhart explores the powerful role that volunteering plays in shaping purpose, connection, and fulfillment in later life.

Drawing on compelling personal stories, this book highlights how adults aged fifty-five and older contribute meaningfully to their communities through both formal and informal acts of service. From organized volunteering with nonprofits to everyday acts of care—helping neighbors, supporting family, or assisting friends—these contributions form an essential yet often overlooked social fabric. Airhart brings these experiences to life, examining the motivations behind volunteering, the benefits to communities, and the profound sense of identity and satisfaction it offers to individuals beyond retirement.

Grounded in real-world narratives and informed by broader social context, the book underscores how volunteerism can transform the transition out of the workforce into an opportunity for continued growth, engagement, and impact. It also highlights the immense economic and social value older adults bring through their service.

Ideal for students and scholars in sociology, social work, gerontology, and psychology, as well as practitioners, policymakers, and anyone interested in aging, community engagement, and the enduring value of giving back.