Leaving a Legacy: Redefining Volunteerism for Older Adults in Broward County

Leaving a Legacy: Redefining Volunteerism for Older Adults in Broward County

Volunteering has played a very important role in the lives of elderly Americans since during the time of the depression in the 1930s. This study proposed the development of a new model for volunteerism by offering a group of older adults a course in leadership training. The purpose of this course was to create and implement a community service project while exploring different ideas of aging. The goal was to create a meaningful pathway in which an older adult could utilize his/her time and life experiences in a generative and integrative way that links a sense of purpose to higher levels of well-being and contributes to the quality of life in Broward County. Pre and post tests were done utilizing the Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS) to measure the success of the course. This scale is based on Erikson’s psychosocial stage of development: generativity vs. despair. The course was composed of 10 elder adults that consistently participated in a 10 week course that met every Wednesday. During the last class, a focus group was held to discuss the group’s view of their experience in the class. The results showed that an increase in generativity resulted from review of the pre and post test. Projects started from the interests and concerns of the participants who used the structure of the course to explore ways to connect those concerns to public service within the community.