Social Support, Interactions, and Satisfaction Among Older Australian Adults Engaged in Formal and Informal Volunteering: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background and objectivesOlder Australian adults commonly engage in formal and informal volunteering. We examine how volunteering relates to social support, a combined measure of an individual's quantity of social interactions, and satisfaction with the quality of social relationships.MethodsData were analysed from 932 adults aged 50-70 years, surveyed between September 2023 and July 2024 (54.4% male).ResultsFormal volunteering at < 5, 5-10, and 10+ hours/week was associated with higher social support (β = 0.54; β = 1.21; β = 1.61), as was providing <5 hours/week of informal childcare (β = 1.02). Social interaction increased across all levels of formal volunteering (β = 0.35; β = 1.01; β = 1.22), and providing <5 hours/week of care to children (β = 0.49). Social satisfaction showed no significant associations. Offering informal care to adults was not associated with any changes in social support.ConclusionFormal volunteering appears to enhance social interaction, but not satisfaction, which may have implications for social prescribing practices.