A new study by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) has found that compared to non-volunteers, older adults who volunteer feel more supported by their social networks, which in turn leads to an improvement in their quality of life. This is even though social networks from which older adults receive actual help do not expand as a result of volunteering.

Through a study of 2,887 Singaporeans aged 60 and above, the NTU Singapore and Duke-NUS researchers also found that those who volunteered regularly with a club or an organisation reported having more control of their lives – also known as personal mastery – leading to a better quality of life.

These findings were derived from data collected in the Transitions in Health, Employment, Social Engagement and Inter-Generational Transfers in Singapore Study (THE SIGNS Study), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of older Singaporeans. THE SIGNS Study is conducted by Duke-NUS’ Centre for Ageing Research and Education (CARE).

The findings highlight that volunteering may provide alternative avenues of perceived support for older adults, beyond co-residing family members. This is especially important in Asian populations, where older adults traditionally depend on family members, said the researchers.

With demographic trends such as an ageing population and shrinking family sizes, sole reliance on co-residing family for support in later life may become unsustainable. Older adults may have to supplement support from immediate family with support from alternative sources, the researchers added.

NTU Assistant Professor of Sociology Shannon Ang, who led the study, said: “While volunteering among older adults in Singapore has increased over the years, the rates remain low. Our findings show that volunteering increases the quality of life among older adults through perceived social support. Older adults who volunteer regularly in a formal setting also feel more confident in their ability to direct their own lives and make an impact on others. We hope our study brings home the idea that by helping others, older adults are also helping themselves.”

Associate Professor Rahul Malhotra, Deputy Director of CARE at Duke-NUS, who supervised the study, said: “As Singapore’s population ages rapidly, we need a deeper understanding of how volunteering can impact social and psychological well-being of our older adults. Our findings will enable organisations to better design volunteering programmes so that older adults can fully benefit from them. Having a sustained and structured setting for volunteering provides opportunities for older people to actively shape their environments, boosting their confidence as they continue to contribute to society.”

The study is in line with the recently refreshed national Action Plan for Successful Ageing to empower older adults to take charge of their physical and mental wellbeing and enable them to continue contributing their knowledge and expertise.

It also supports NTU’s goal of responding to the needs and challenges of healthy living and ageing as part of NTU2025, the University’s five-year strategic plan. For Duke-NUS, the School is committed to harnessing the intellectual acuity of its Signature Research Programmes and centres to investigate complex and challenging topics such as ageing, to advance conversations on the national healthcare agenda and enhance quality of care for all Singaporeans.