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Reducing Depression Among Older Adults: Informal Helping Versus Volunteering, Salih Salihoglu
Reducing Depression Among Older Adults: Informal Helping Versus Volunteering, Salih Salihoglu
MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects
Volunteerism is an unpaid productive activity that is exercised within a formal organization to benefit others that are not part of family or friends (Musick & Wilson, 2008). Alternatively, individuals could engage in informal helping which would be an activity undertaken outside a formal, structured organization. This paper addresses whether informal helping is also effective in reducing depression for older adults alongside volunteering. I hypothesize that informal helping is effective in reducing depression only when exercised for short durations. On the other hand, I hypothesize that volunteerism is only effective when exercised for long periods of time. I try to …