Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.

The need for the study arose with the discovery that many older adults make significant contributions in volunteer work. However some do not feel as though these contributions are worthwhile (Morrow-Howell & Mui, 1989; Chambre, 1987). They may feel that the work they are doing is meaningless (Morrow-Howell & Mui, 1989; Chambre, 1987; Flynn & Webb, 1975). The study was conducted to determine the relationship of individuals who perceived they were making a significant contribution in volunteer work and their level of subjective morale. The number of hours, length of time, number of various jobs, and the use of a volunteer's skills, knowledge, and talents devoted to volunteer service are specifically identified as they relate to subjective morale.A pilot study was conducted on the telephone using 10-12 volunteers from a random sample of retired Ball State employees. These individuals were asked open-ended questions concerning several aspects of volunteering. Once the data was collected a Liekert questionnaire was developed using the common patterns noted in the volunteer's answers. The Liekert questionnaire was distributed to 50 volunteers, recruited from the Muncie, Indiana andthe New Castle, Indiana RSVP (The Retired Senior Volunteer Program) branches. The volunteers completed the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale: A Revision (PGC) and the Volunteer Attitude Questionnaire (VAQ).The results indicated no statistically significant relationship between volunteers who perceived they were making a significant contribution and their level of subjective morale. Likewise, the data indicated no statistically significant relationship between subjective morale and number of hours, length time, number of various jobs, and use of skills, knowledge, and talents devoted to volunteer services. The volunteers in the study reported a wide variety of subjective morale levels regardless of the factors examined in the study. It is apparent that older volunteers who perceived they were significantly contributing do not all develop increased morale. Morale appears to be a very complex factor which is individually determined depending upon the lifestyle of the older adult. / Institute of Gerontology

The present study represents an attempt "to seek out one possible subgroup of the black elderly population--the volunteer. Black elderly volunteers are a puzzled about but largely unknown group. Very little systematic research has been done on this subject. Recently there has been an increased interest in volunteering among the elderly population as a whole, as social welfare planners seek new ways for the aged to find fulfillment and enjoyment. It is felt that volunteering can offer prestige, feelings of usefullness and other gratifications that may be lacking in the aged person's life.

Mak Wing-yan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 207-215). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.iv / CONTENTS --- p.vi / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- Introduction: Problematic Endeavour of Identity in Old Age --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Prologue / Chapter 1.2 --- Segmentation of Life Stages / Chapter 1.3 --- Blurring of Life Stages / Chapter 1.4 --- Over Institutionalization: Sequestration of Experiences / Chapter 1.5 --- Relevance to Present Study / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- "Literature Review: Old Age Identity in Structural, Institutional And Interactional Settings" --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Structural Dimension: Policy and Social Identity / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The development of social policy in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.1.2 --- "Problematic nature of ""care in community"" and the objectification of elderly" / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Stigmatization: delineation of the social position / Chapter 2.2 --- Institutional Dimension: Segregated Settings and Identity / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Segregated settings and social space / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Volunteering ´ؤ The interplay between policy and institutional forces / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Elder participation in volunteer working in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.3 --- Interactional Dimension: Discourse Analysis and Identity Negotiation / Chapter 2.4 --- Merging of the Streams of Thought / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- Conceptual Framework --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1 --- Conceptual Discussion of Identity / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Presumptions of identity: relational approach / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Giddens: modernity and self-identity / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Goffman: stigma and the management of spoiled identity / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Identity and inter-group relation / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Relevance to present study / Chapter 3.2 --- Conceptual Discussion of Social Space / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Relationship between social space and social setting / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Features examined within social space / Chapter 3.3 --- Identity Constitution / Chapter 3.4 --- Possibilities for Identity: From Conceptual to Empirical / Chapter 3.5 --- Research Questions / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- Methodology and Overview of the Field --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1 --- The Research / Chapter 4.2 --- An Overview of the Field / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Structure of membership / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Typology of volunteering activities / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- Positioning of the Age Identity --- p.71 / Chapter 5.1 --- Meaning for Joining the Volunteer Group / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Reasons of entry from the professional point of view / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Meaning of entry from the volunteers' point of view / Chapter i. --- A cleavage from disturbing life event / Chapter ii. --- Concealment of stigma / Chapter iii. --- Conformity to the life stage arrangement / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Pain or pleasure / Chapter 5.2 --- Location of Reference Groups - Learning of Elderly Role / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Positive valuation on the present / Chapter i. --- Comparison with the past / Chapter ii. --- Projection over the future / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Accommodation of identity / Chapter 5.3 --- Concluding Remark: Motivations and Capacity for Identity Process / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- Perception of the Context and the Projection of Actors' Agency --- p.92 / Chapter 6.1 --- User Participation: Social space as perceived by social workers / Chapter 6.2 --- Boundary Control: Defining Professional Realm of Reference / Chapter 6.3 --- Perception of Constrains and Possibilities / Chapter 6.4 --- Boundary Management: volunteers' realm of choice and control / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Personal choice / Chapter 6.4.2 --- "Defensive boundary control: managing their identity by securing their ""time""" / Chapter 6.5 --- Case Study: Nature of Relationships and Boundary Control / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Case 1: Heart-to-heart Programme (the Telephone Visit Team) / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Case 2: Visiting Pioneers (The visiting team) / Chapter 6.6 --- Concluding Remark: Horizon in Perceiving the Aging Process / Chapter CHAPTER 7: --- Consolidation of Identity: Dimensions of Identification --- p.117 / Chapter 7.1 --- Contours of Aging Experience: A Hypothetical Illustration / Chapter 7.2 --- The Vertical Identification: Keep Active / Chapter 7.2.1 --- Locating the volunteers: / Chapter 7.2.2 --- "The meanings of ""active""" / Chapter 7.2.3 --- "Reaffirmation from the structure and the reproduction of ""being active""" / Chapter 7.2.4 --- Dynamics for identification / Chapter 7.3 --- Volunteering and the Site for Social Exclusion / Chapter 7.3.1 --- "Exclusion: delineation of ""they"" and ""we""" / Chapter 7.4 --- Inclusionary Effort by the Volunteers: Sympathetic Attitude Towards the Elderly / Chapter 7.4.1 --- "The concept of ""care"" and ""concern""" / Chapter 7.4.2 --- "Cultivation of the sense of ""sameness"": proximity of experiences" / Chapter 7.5 --- Identity as a Politics: a Convergent Point Case study: The Community Forum / Chapter 7.6 --- Concluding Remarks / Chapter CHAPTER 8 --- "Conclusion and Discussion: ""Staying Active"" as a Theme in Aging Process" --- p.147 / Chapter 8.1 --- Summary of Arguments / Chapter 8.1.1 --- Schema for comparison: positioning and aging self in society / Chapter 8.1.2 --- "Negotiation, boundary control and shaping of identity" / Chapter 8.1.3 --- Consolidation of identity: Two paths for the same end / Chapter 8.2 --- Epilogue: Identity as a Cutting Point for Researching Old Age in Modern Society / Chapter 8.2.1 --- Nature of social space and the presentation of identity / Chapter 8.2.2 --- Rethinking the place of human action in theory of aging / Chapter 8.2.3 --- Identity as a politics / Chapter 8.2.4 --- Policy Reflections / Chapter 8.3 --- Outlook and Vision / APPENDICES / Figure 4.1 Organization Chart of the Service Center (In Chinese) --- p.172 / Figure 8.1 Model of Identity Constitution --- p.173 / Table 1.1 Major Events of Elderly Issues --- p.174 / Table 4.1 Elderly Population --- p.181 / Table 4.2 Summary of Activities --- p.182 / Table 4.3 Profiles of Informants --- p.184 / Table 4.4 Summary of Respondents --- p.186 / Table 5.1 Summary of Core Questions --- p.188 / Table 8.1 Control of Boundary --- p.196 / Document 4.1 Guiding Questions for Interviews --- p.197 / Document 5.1 Promotion Leaflet of the Service Center (In Chinese) --- p.199 / Document 6.1 Report of Implementation of User-Participation (In Chinese) --- p.203 / Document 6.2 Promotion Leaflet of the Community Support Service of Elderly (In Chinese) --- p.206 / BIBIOGRAPHY --- p.207