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Volunteerism and Social Entrepreneurship Among Older In-migrants to Rural Areas

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Rural Aging in 21st Century America

Part of the book series: Understanding Population Trends and Processes ((UPTA,volume 7))

Abstract

We examine level of volunteerism among older in-migrants versus longer-term older residents in rural amenity destinations in the Continental US and Hawaii. We also use case study evidence to investigate social entrepreneurship among older in-migrants to rural amenity destinations. Our findings show that older in-migrants participate in voluntary activity approximately equally to longer-term older residents. Further, older in-migrants frequently engage in social entrepreneurship by starting new organizations or re-shaping already existing organizations and institutions in rural destination communities. Older in-migrants’ high level of participation is facilitated by their relatively high socioeconomic status.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We refer to the phenomenon not as “retirement migration” but as “older migration,” because about a third of the people 60 years of age and older who moved to rural amenity areas never retired or became re-employed after retirement from an earlier career (Glasgow and Brown 2006).

  2. 2.

    Social entrepreneurs may focus their efforts at the societal or transnational level, as well, but in this study we focus on social entrepreneurship in particular rural locales. See Bornstein (2007) for a discussion of international organizations, such as Ashoka, that engage in social entrepreneurship.

  3. 3.

    Attrition was due to death, illness, being unable to re-contact and refusals. An analysis of the characteristics of those who continued in the study versus those who dropped out showed no significant differences.

  4. 4.

    Starting with the 2010 decennial census, migration is no longer examined in decennial censuses, but rather in the American Community Survey (ACS). In the ACS, migration is defined as living in a different place 1 year prior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Development Sociology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Nina Glasgow & David L. Brown

  2. Center on the Family, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2515 Campus Road, Miller Hall 103, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

    Hosik Min

Authors
  1. Nina Glasgow
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  2. Hosik Min
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  3. David L. Brown
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Correspondence to Nina Glasgow .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept of Development Sociology, Cornell University, Warren Hall 332, Ithaca, 14853-7801, USA

    Nina Glasgow

  2. , Department of Sociology, Utah State University, Old Main Hill 0730, Logan, 84322-0730, USA

    E. Helen Berry

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Glasgow, N., Min, H., Brown, D.L. (2013). Volunteerism and Social Entrepreneurship Among Older In-migrants to Rural Areas. In: Glasgow, N., Berry, E. (eds) Rural Aging in 21st Century America. Understanding Population Trends and Processes, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5567-3_13

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