IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v160y2022i2d10.1007_s11205-020-02383-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Active Participation and Well-Being Among the Elderly in Belgium and the USA: A Cross-National Time-Use Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Theun Pieter Tienoven

    (University of New South Wales
    Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Lyn Craig

    (University of Melbourne)

  • Ignace Glorieux

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Joeri Minnen

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Abstract

Active participation of the elderly is a recognized response to address the societal and individual challenges of rising life expectancy such as releasing the pressure of age-related public spending, reducing social isolation and improving well-being. How much time older people devote to active participation and whether their time allocation is associated with well-being remains under-investigated. Using time-use data from Belgium (n = 1384) and the USA (n = 2133), we investigate the time older people (65–80 years) spent on active participation and examine how this relates to their life satisfaction as an indicator of well-being. The countries vary in the amount of time spent on paid employment and volunteering, but not on informal help. Belgian older people spend much less time on paid employment than their American counterparts. This implies more are available to volunteer and provide informal help. Yet participation rates in these activities are higher in the USA. Multivariate analyses show that associations between active participation and life satisfaction vary between both countries and within both countries by gender and age. Overall, positive associations between paid work and volunteering and life satisfaction suggest that governments would do well to mobilize elderly into active participation, especially in Belgium. Negative associations between informal help and life satisfaction suggest governments should provide greater support for informal carers.

Suggested Citation

  • Theun Pieter Tienoven & Lyn Craig & Ignace Glorieux & Joeri Minnen, 2022. "Active Participation and Well-Being Among the Elderly in Belgium and the USA: A Cross-National Time-Use Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 625-644, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:160:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02383-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02383-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-020-02383-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11205-020-02383-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jeffrey A. Burr & Namkee G. Choi & Jan E. Mutchler & Francis G. Caro, 2005. "Caregiving and Volunteering: Are Private and Public Helping Behaviors Linked?," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 60(5), pages 247-256.
    2. Anonymous, 1948. "World Health Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(2), pages 374-377, June.
    3. Pamela D. Pilkington & Tim D. Windsor & Dimity A. Crisp, 2012. "Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being in Midlife and Older Adults: The Role of Supportive Social Networks," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 67(2), pages 249-260.
    4. repec:adr:anecst:y:2012:i:105-106:p:12 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Kim, Eric S. & Konrath, Sara H., 2016. "Volunteering is prospectively associated with health care use among older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 122-129.
    6. Thomas Hansen & Marja Aartsen & Britt Slagsvold & Christian Deindl, 2018. "Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age: Findings from 12 European Countries," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Anonymous, 1948. "World Health Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(1), pages 138-140, February.
    8. Jeffrey A. Burr & Jan E. Mutchler & Francis G. Caro, 2007. "Productive Activity Clusters Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Intersecting Forms and Time Commitments," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(4), pages 267-275.
    9. Jonathan Gershuny, 2012. "Too Many Zeros: A Method for Estimating Long-Term Time-Use from Short Diaries," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 105-106, pages 247-270.
    10. Nicholas Kofi Adjei & Tilman Brand & Hajo Zeeb, 2017. "Gender inequality in self-reported health among the elderly in contemporary welfare countries: A cross-country analysis of time use activities, socioeconomic positions and family characteristics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(9), pages 1-24, September.
    11. Anonymous, 1948. "World Health Organization," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 540-542, September.
    12. Bruno Arpino & Valeria Bordone, 2017. "Regular provision of grandchild care and participation in social activities," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 135-174, March.
    13. Andrea Principi & Henrike Galenkamp & Roberta Papa & Marco Socci & Bianca Suanet & Andrea Schmidt & Katharine Schulmann & Stella Golinowska & Agnieszka Sowa & Amilcar Moreira & Dorly J. H. Deeg, 2016. "Do predictors of volunteering in older age differ by health status?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 91-102, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Miya Chang, 2022. "Comparative Study on Volunteering among Older Korean Immigrants in the United States and Older Koreans in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Odelia Koh & Jeannette Lee & Maudrene L S Tan & E-Shyong Tai & Ce Jin Foo & Kok Joon Chong & Su-Yen Goh & Yong Mong Bee & Julian Thumboo & Yin-Bun Cheung & Avjeet Singh & Hwee-Lin Wee, 2014. "Establishing the Thematic Framework for a Diabetes-Specific Health-Related Quality of Life Item Bank for Use in an English-Speaking Asian Population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Trine Filges & Anu Siren & Torben Fridberg & Bjørn C. V. Nielsen, 2020. "Voluntary work for the physical and mental health of older volunteers: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(4), December.
    4. Fielden, Sarah J. & Rusch, Melanie L. & Masinda, Mambo Tabu & Sands, Jim & Frankish, Jim & Evoy, Brian, 2007. "Key considerations for logic model development in research partnerships: A Canadian case study," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 115-124, May.
    5. Olga Pakholok, 2013. "The Idea of Healthy Lifestyle and Its Transformation Into Health-Oriented Lifestyle in Contemporary Society," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(3), pages 21582440135, August.
    6. Viola, Lora Anne, 2008. "WHO says competition is healthy: How civil society can change IGOs [Die WHO sagt: Wettbewerb ist gesund. Wie Zivilgesellschaft IGOs verändern kann]," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Global Governance SP IV 2008-307, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    7. Barrington, D.J. & Sridharan, S. & Shields, K.F. & Saunders, S.G. & Souter, R.T. & Bartram, J., 2017. "Sanitation marketing: A systematic review and theoretical critique using the capability approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 128-134.
    8. Letizia Appolloni & Alberto Giretti & Maria Vittoria Corazza & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2020. "Walkable Urban Environments: An Ergonomic Approach of Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-31, October.
    9. João M. S. Carvalho & Célio A. A. Sousa, 2018. "Is Psychological Value a Missing Building Block in Societal Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Modranka Emilia & Suchecka Jadwiga, 2014. "The Determinants Of Population Health Spatial Disparities," Comparative Economic Research, Sciendo, vol. 17(4), pages 173-185, December.
    11. Völker, Sebastian & Kistemann, Thomas, 2013. "Reprint of: “I'm always entirely happy when I'm here!” Urban blue enhancing human health and well-being in Cologne and Düsseldorf, Germany," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 141-152.
    12. Heather J. Sutherland & Hilary Llewellyn-Thomas & Norman F. Boyd & James E. Till, 1982. "Attitudes Toward Quality of Survival," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 2(3), pages 299-309, August.
    13. Pilar Sanjuán & María Ávila, 2019. "The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies on the Relationships Between Goal Motives and Affective and Cognitive Components of Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1057-1070, April.
    14. Jozef Bavoľár & Oľga Orosová, 2015. "Decision-making styles and their associations with decision-making competencies and mental health," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(1), pages 115-122, January.
    15. Roberto Adriani, 2019. "The Evolution of Fake News and the Abuse of Emerging Technologies," European Journal of Social Sciences Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 2, ejss_v2_i.
    16. Amaresh Panda & Sanjay Mohapatra, 2021. "Online Healthcare Practices and Associated Stakeholders: Review of Literature for Future Research Agenda," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 46(2), pages 71-85, June.
    17. Marco Fuscaldo, 2012. "Physical limitations, depressive symptoms and cognitive problems: exploring the complex structure of un-health among older people in Italy," Center for the Analysis of Public Policies (CAPP) 0098, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Economia "Marco Biagi".
    18. Tim Lomas & Kate Hefferon & Itai Ivtzan, 2015. "The LIFE Model: A Meta-Theoretical Conceptual Map for Applied Positive Psychology," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1347-1364, October.
    19. Jeanne Landgraf, 2001. "Measuring and monitoring quality of life in children and youth: A brief commentary," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 46(5), pages 281-282, September.
    20. Immergut, Ellen M. & Schneider, Simone M., 2020. "Is it unfair for the affluent to be able to purchase “better” healthcare? Existential standards and institutional norms in healthcare attitudes across 28 countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:160:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02383-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.