Experience and Interest in Volunteering: A Survey of Belizean Older Adults

When older adults volunteer, they benefit not only the community but also themselves. However, little is known about volunteering behaviors outside upper-income countries. This study collected data from a national sample of Belizean adults aged 60 to 74. Among the 672 participants, 27.3% had volunteered in the last year, and 54.9% reported neutral or positive attitudes toward future volunteering. Women, younger participants, and those with higher income were significantly more likely than their counterparts to have volunteered. Living with family and reporting higher levels of intrinsic motivation and integrated regulation were associated with neutral or positive attitudes toward future volunteering. These findings suggest that appropriate interventions can be developed to encourage older adults in Belize and the broader Latin American region to volunteer.