GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS IN THE PRODUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Abstract While having opportunities to be productively engaged has implications for long, healthy lives, little is known about the geographical distribution of older adults engaged in productive activities. Using the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study, a sample of community-dwelling older adults age 65 and above in the year 2018 (n = 8,728) was used to compare working, volunteering, and caregiving rates between rural and urban areas and Census regions and divisions. Urban and rural rates of individuals who were working were significantly different (p < .05) in the Midwest region and the East North Central and Pacific divisions (e.g., 20.9% in rural Midwest vs. 14.8% in urban Midwest). Urban and rural caregiving rates were significantly different in the East South Central division (35.1% rural vs. 26.2% urban caregivers). Urban and rural rates of individuals who engaged in one or more productive activities (working, volunteering, and caregiving) were significantly different in the West North Central (64.9% rural vs. 56.6% urban) and Middle Atlantic (47.6% rural vs. 58.6% urban) divisions. Urban and rural volunteering rates were significantly different in the West region (37.0% rural vs. 30.2% urban). These findings suggest that older adults’ participation in working, caregiving, and volunteering roles may depend on where they live, and older adults are not a homogeneous group as commonly misunderstood. Future studies should explore the factors that influence these patterns of engagement.