Active aging and happiness: European senior citizen volunteers

Abstract

This paper studies the relationship between perceived happiness and volunteering among European senior citizens, paying special attention to differences based on gender and generational cohorts. The empirical analysis utilised micro data from the World Values Surveys (WVS: 1994/98, 2005/09 and 2010/14). The main conclusions are: i) Employment, education and income are key factors for understanding senior citizen volunteering and wellbeing; ii) senior citizen volunteering can be a positive factor that reinforces happiness if senior citizens chose activities that promote wellbeing; iii) it is important to encourage economic development that helps to improve the life conditions of all citizens.