The Relationship of Volunteering to the Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults in a Community-Based Setting: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong

Rapid population aging in Hong Kong heightens risks of social isolation and purposelessness among older adults. The Community Care Team (CCT) program, launched by the government in 2023, recruits and trains volunteers for grassroots care activities with the aim of strengthening community resilience, i.e. the collective capacity to mobilize resources, sustain social support, and respond to challenges such as emergencies or social crises. This three-wave longitudinal study examined the effects of volunteering in the CCT program on psychological well-being in adults aged 55-79 (67 volunteers, 108 controls). Assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 8 months measured psychological well-being, prosocialness, self-efficacy, meaning in life, resilience, and loneliness. Volunteers demonstrated significant improvements compared to controls. Meaning in life mediated the prosocialness- psychological-well-being relationship, with a chained pathway via self- efficacy. Moderation showed stronger benefits for those with lower resilience or higher loneliness. Findings support expanding CCT-like programs to enhance mental health and sustainable eldercare.