Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
J Gerontol Soc Work. 2021 Sep;64(6):599-612. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2021.1904079. Epub 2021 Mar 26.
Evidence about the association between volunteering and the mental health of older adults during COVID-19 remains underexplored. This study investigated (1) patterns of volunteering among older adults in Hong Kong during COVID-19; (2) associations between volunteering and mental health of older adults during COVID-19; and (3) associations between key psychological resources (e.g., self-efficacy and self-esteem) and volunteering among older adults during COVID-19. This study applied a cross-sectional design with data collected from 128 older adults in June 2020, who were trained as volunteers in a volunteer program that began before COVID-19. The study found that older adults continued to actively contribute to their communities by engaging in volunteering during COVID-19. The specific type of volunteering activities was linked to few depressive and anxiety symptoms. Older adults with increased self-esteem prior to COVID-19 were more likely to participate in volunteering activities related to COVID-19. Our study suggested that encouraging older adults to volunteer during the pandemic is a key pathway to maintain mental health. Social workers are encouraged to engage older adults in volunteerism regularly to offset the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms in times of crisis.
有关 COVID-19 期间志愿者活动与老年人心理健康之间关联的证据仍未得到充分探索。本研究调查了：（1）COVID-19 期间香港老年人参与志愿服务的模式；（2）COVID-19 期间志愿服务与老年人心理健康之间的关联；（3）COVID-19 期间老年人关键心理资源（如自我效能感和自尊）与志愿服务之间的关联。本研究采用横断面设计，数据来自 2020 年 6 月招募的 128 名老年人，他们是在 COVID-19 之前开始的志愿者计划中接受培训的志愿者。研究发现，老年人在 COVID-19 期间继续积极为社区做出贡献，参与志愿服务。特定类型的志愿服务活动与较少的抑郁和焦虑症状有关。在 COVID-19 之前自尊心较高的老年人更有可能参与与 COVID-19 相关的志愿服务活动。我们的研究表明，鼓励老年人在大流行期间参与志愿服务是维护心理健康的关键途径。鼓励社会工作者定期让老年人参与志愿服务，以抵消危机时期抑郁和焦虑症状的风险。
