Background: Residential change is a significant event in the lives of older individuals. While the reasons for relocation are varied, older movers may experience reduced social support and loss of valued roles, such as ceasing volunteer work. This is significant since civic engagement through volunteering is associated with better physical and psychological well-being. The aim of this study is to consider the affect of residential relocation on the volunteer activity of older adults.

Design and Method: We analyze three waves of data from the Americans' Changing Lives Study (N=1,669). Analyses of use sociodemographic variables, such as age, income, race, household size, residence type, marital status, education, income, are conducted. With use of chi-square test for categorical variables, such as age, gender, independent t-test for ratio variables (e.g., income, education, and informal social integration), and paired t-test for ratio variables (e.g., income, self-efficacy, and education) to compare the change at each wave, older movers aged 60 and over are compared and contrasted with non-movers who are aged 60 and over. After exploring differences between movers and non-movers on measures related to volunteerism, we use logistic regression to identify differences in the likelihood of volunteering between these groups. We also regress volunteer status on a measure of adjustment to changes related to relocation. We use multinomial regression to explore the change in volunteer status at each wave.

Results: There is a difference in volunteer rates between movers and non-movers (X2 = 7.26, df = 1, p<.01). This relationship is not significant after controlling for sociodemographic differences, social integration, satisfaction with neighborhood and home, and psychological factors related with volunteering. Similarly, adjustment following relocation is a significant predictor of volunteer status on wave 2 rather than on wave1 and wave 3. However, more highly adjusted movers are likely to be involved in volunteer activity. Years of education, being married, home ownership, self-efficacy, and social integration predict community attachment through volunteer activity. Home ownership and self efficacy are significant variables to predict loss or add their volunteer status at a stage from wave 1 to wave 2 and at a different stage from wave 2 to wave 3.

Implications: These findings reveal that relocation and adjustment following a move are of lesser importance to later life volunteerism than other factors. Based on the result, it can be found that relocation on wave 3 is different with move on wave 1 and 2. It can be predicted as a move related to institutionalization or return move to their origin states. Our results suggest that civic engagement is robust to significant life changes such as relocation. Future research should explore the stability of volunteering after relocation.