title: Impact of participating in volunteer activities for residents living in long-term-care facilities.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a volunteer activity on the perceived well-being of long-term-care (LTC) residents. Residents from five LTC facilities were randomly assigned into either a mentoring or a usual-care control group. Residents in the mentoring group tutored conversational skills to English-as-a-second-language students on a one-on-one basis for 1 hour twice per week for 12 weeks. Well-being, as a global outcome construct, was measured at baseline, after intervention, and at 3-month follow-up using the Geriatric Depression Scale, Life Satisfaction Index-A, and a self-rated health question. After intervention, residents who participated in the mentoring group rated their level of well-being higher (p = .047) than those in the usual-care group on the basis of a multivariate nonparametric global statistical test. The positive effect of mentoring on well-being relative to the control was sustained at 3-month follow-up assessment (p = .029). Findings provide preliminary support for engaging LTC residents in volunteer mentoring activities to improve their well-being.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy Educational Program, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. yuen@musc.edu
authors.forename: Hon Keung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jerry K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burik
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012112:Residential Facilities; D013022:South Carolina; D014838:Volunteers