Purpose beyond the Self in Later Life

Background Study of purpose in later life conducted at Stanford Graduate School of Education, in collaboration with Encore.org Nationally representative US sample of 1198 participants (50-92 yrs old), + in-depth interviews with a subsample of 102 survey respondents

What do we mean by purpose beyond the self? Significant, ongoing commitment to and regular, active work toward goals that are meaningful to the self and also aim to contribute beyond the self

Why study purpose beyond the self in older adults? Important phenomenon across the lifespan from early adolescence through late adulthood Impact on individual health and well-being Contribution to community/societal needs One indicator of positive aging Potential to change the culture of aging

Research Questions What is the nature and prevalence of purpose in older adults? How is purpose related to other indicators of well-being in older adults? What do those with purpose consider important in the “encore years”(as compared to those without purpose)?

Prevalence of Purpose Non-Purpose 827 69% Purpose 371 31% TOTAL 1198 Frequency Percent Non-Purpose 827 69% Purpose 371 31% TOTAL 1198 100%

Finding 1: Few demographic differences Purpose is accessible to all Income is unrelated to the prevalence of purpose. Poverty does not preclude purpose, nor does affluence. Educational attainment is only slightly related to the prevalence of purpose. Greater educational attainment is associated with somewhat higher rates of purpose. Health status is not associated with the prevalence of purpose. Many purposeful respondents are experiencing health challenges.

Finding 1: continued Few demographic differences Purpose is accessible to all Race/ethnicity is related to the prevalence of purpose. Purpose is more prevalent among African-American, Latino, Asian, and mixed race respondents than among white respondents. Gender is modestly related to the prevalence of purpose. Women are somewhat more likely to be purposeful than men. Age is not related to the prevalence of purpose within our age range of 50-92.

Finding 2: Purpose focus is personal and diverse (interview subsample) Purposeful commitments usually arise from personal experience and interests. Half of the purposeful interviewees focused on a single overarching issue; half had multiple, diverse commitments. Many purposeful individuals became engaged partly through invitations that reflected their particular interests and skills.

Interview responses describe commitments to a diverse array of issues: Finding 2: continued Purpose focus is personal and diverse (interview subsample) Interview responses describe commitments to a diverse array of issues: Poverty Youth mentorship Human rights Animal rights Aging Community development Cultural institutions Health and mental health Religious Issues Politics

Finding 3: Benefits of purpose Survey analyses indicate that purpose is associated with other personal strengths and indicators of well- being (e.g. life satisfaction, wisdom, gratitude, and empathy). Purposeful interviewees describe great satisfaction connected with their purposeful engagements. In many cases, purposeful interviewees were playing leadership roles and pursuing ambitious goals.

Finding 3: continued Benefits of purpose “It's just an incredible, incredible experience…to watch this person week by week, month by month. All of a sudden, they're paying their bills, they've got a job, they're taking their meds. Little stuff… And you watch that growth and … that's just phenomenal. That's my reward. And I didn't do it, they did it.” - 74-year-old woman from Southern California

Finding 4: Perspectives on the “encore years” It’s a time to take care of myself, to relax, and “make time for me” It’s a time to do fun and interesting things like traveling or taking classes It’s a time for personal growth, broadening interests It’s a time to keep working in order to earn money or maintain my health coverage and other benefits It’s a time to try to have an impact on an issue in the world that I care about It’s a time to reflect, be mindful, and nurture compassion for broader humanity It’s a time to use my skills and experience to help others It’s a time to spend more time with my family

Finding 4: continued Perspectives on the “encore years” Those with purpose beyond the self endorsed all of the life priorities (including the self-oriented priorities) to a greater degree than those without purpose Purpose is not a zero-sum game

What about the non-purposeful majority? Those without clear beyond-the-self commitments are a mixed group. Some are happy with their lives, reporting a sense of freedom, positive relationships, a focus on fun, the capacity to remain productive, contentment with simple daily routines. Others’ lives reveal negative relationships or isolation, boredom, stress, a preoccupation with staving off problems, feelings that freedom is limited or that unlimited freedom leaves them directionless.

Paths to purpose Many interviewees who currently lack purposeful commitments say they are open to them. It appears that, in many cases, inviting opportunities tailored to their specific interests and abilities could draw them in. Once someone is involved, deepening engagement most often seem to occur when purposeful commitments offer not only the satisfaction of giving but also positive relationships, positive engagement, a sense of competence, and a sense of self-direction and autonomy.

Stanford Study Team Anne Colby, Stanford University Matthew Bundick, Duquesne University Elissa Hirsh, Stanford University Emily Morton, Stanford University Kathleen Remington, Stanford University In collaboration with Jim Emerman, Betsy Werley, Nancy Peterson, and others at Encore.org

Special appreciation to… …and our participants!