Connecting and Giving

AARP report looks at how mid-life and older Americans are engaging to build community

February 9, 2010

A new report by AARP finds mid-life and older Americans play critical roles in making connections and building communities. Focusing on social capital and socio-economic factors, community engagement and civic participation, and giving of time and money, the report focuses on the ways Americans aged 45+ contribute to the civic vitality of the communities in which they live. The findings of “Connecting and Giving: A Report on How Mid-life and Older Americans Spend Their Time, Make Connections and Build Communities,” underscore some key elements of the 2009 America’s Civic Health Index. Two particular correlations were the shift away from “traditional” institutions with emergence of personal forms of service, and that individuals have cut back the time they spent engaged in civic activities, thereby illustrating a decreased civic capital. Other key findings include: a rise in the rate of charitable giving nearly 20 percent from 2008 to 2009, increased occurrences of episodic engagement, and a focus on meeting basic needs in their communities. While engaged in many personal ways, respondents report a lack of confidence in their self-organizing ability, and a lack of optimism in the power of group participation. The report also found older Americans are most often engaging as a result of feelings of responsibility, a desire to improve their neighborhood, and the elements of personal satisfaction it provides. About AARP: AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world’s largest circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; “AARP Bulletin,” the go-to news source for AARP’s almost 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP “Segunda Juventud”, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need of support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.