1. Purpose beyond the Self in Later Life

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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)?

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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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

18. Special appreciation to…
…and our participants!