Older Singaporeans who volunteer perceive a better quality of life, finds study

A new study by NTU and 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. The researchers, NTU Asst Prof of Sociology Shannon Ang and Assoc Prof Rahul Malhotra, Deputy Director of CARE at Duke-NUS, 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) and studied 2,887 Singaporeans aged 60 and above.

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- Similar report in Health Medicine Network, 9 May