Volunteering in older adulthood is associated with activity engagement and cognitive functioning.
Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn
; 28(2): 253-269, 2021 03.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32223513
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Given evidence that activity engagement in older adulthood can have protective effects on the aging brain, we investigated the idea that volunteering in the community, which often encompasses social, cognitive, and physical activity, might benefit cognition.Method:
Ninety-one retired 65- to 75-year-olds reported their sociodemographic characteristics, wellbeing, volunteering, and activity engagement. They also completed computerized cognitive tests that tapped specific functions known to decline disproportionately with age.Results:
Volunteering at least monthly was associated with better working memory and more social and cognitive activity. Mediation analyses indicated that volunteering was indirectly related to switching performance via cognitive activity. However, the volunteering-working memory association did not depend on activity engagement, leaving the underpinning mechanisms unclear.Conclusions:
These findings provide new insight into positive associations between older people's volunteering, activity engagement, and cognitive functioning. However, further work is needed to understand the mechanisms that drive volunteering-cognition links, and to establish causality.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Voluntários
/
Envelhecimento
/
Cognição
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Função Executiva
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Participação Social
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Memória de Curto Prazo
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article