"I don't feel lonely because I don't work alone most of the time": Exploring Gig Work as an Opportunity for Social Participation Among Older Adults

There has been increasing interest in why people participate in the gig economy, especially older adults. However, fewer studies have focused on the potential social benefits of older adults participating in gig work. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 older adults in the U.S. about their perceived social benefits of working as online personal shoppers. We found that gig work allowed for different levels of social activities for older adults, including (a) being with others, (b) interacting with others, (c) doing an activity with others, and (d) helping others. Our findings contribute insights into how hybrid gig work could benefit older adults’ social participation post-retirement.