The Effects of Senior Volunteering – How Does Volunteering of the Elderly Influence Their Individual and Social life? (A Qualitative Research Study of Slovak Elderly Volunteers)

Abstract

Aims: To find effects, motivation and barriers of senior volunteering in Slovak republic. To evaluate the impact on health, individual and social life of the elderly. Study Design: Grounded theory (according to Strauss & Corbin’s approach). Place and Duration of Study: The municipal district of Trnava, Slovak republic, between November 2009 and September 2010. Methodology: The research sample consisted of fifteen senior volunteers and fifteen volunteer coordinators or representatives of non-profit organizations working with volunteers. The volunteers were located in the municipal district of Trnava (Slovak republic), the coordinators were chosen from all-over the country. The sampling method used was snowball sampling and the method used for data collecting was a semi-standardized interview. This data were complemented with various other textual data sources, such as documents from the NGO’s (formal and informal), electronic documents and e-mail conversations. All the collected data were analyzed with the software Atlas.ti according to the open and axial coding processes of the grounded theory approach. Results: Open and axial coding procedures helped to develop the paradigmal model of the process of senior volunteering. Conclusion: The findings support the thesis that volunteering in a higher age can significantly improve the individual life of seniors, although many barriers and obstacles were identified too.