Work, social support, and meaning in life in older adulthood

Abstract

Meaning in life (MIL) is associated with enhanced well-being but little is known about sources of MIL for older adults. As an increasing proportion of older adults are engaged in employment and volunteer roles, this study aimed to examine the associations between MIL, employment, and volunteering among older adults still working and transitioning to retirement. Additionally, the study sought to examine what it is about these roles that may facilitate MIL, specifically, whether giving social support would mediate the relationships between employment, volunteering, and MIL. This research was based on a large sample of community-dwelling older adults in Aotearoa New Zealand. It was a secondary data analysis primarily using linear hierarchical regression. While participation in paid employment was not associated with MIL, the provision of social support mediated the relationship between paid employment and MIL. Volunteering was associated with higher MIL among older adults and this relationship was also mediated by the provision of social support. Volunteering presents opportunities to provide support for others and may be particularly effective for enhancing MIL among older adults. Further research is needed to investigate how different aspects of employment relate to MIL in order to better understand how employment may be structured to contribute to MIL and how MIL might be promoted among older adults.