Volunteer service is associated with self-reported health improvement by older adult volunteers in AmeriCorps Senior programs. However, little is known about how specific chronic diseases and mental health issues affect Foster Grandparents, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on volunteer activities for older adults. Using Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, this study outlines the structural influences of the Foster Grandparent program on volunteers’ motivation for volunteering, mental and physical health status before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and current household food security status. The study utilizes a survey, which was distributed by the National Senior Corps Association and the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors, and five regional focus groups, which highlight the volunteers’ motivation and personal experiences. The survey was adapted from the NHANES and translated into Spanish. The findings of this study suggest that volunteering in the Foster Grandparent program may maintain physical health and improve mental health of the volunteers. Utilizing an intergenerational program model may provide opportunities for older adults and children to adopt a “healthy habitus” to prevent or manage chronic disease and food insecurity.
","abstract_html":"<p>Volunteer service is associated with self-reported health improvement by older adult volunteers in AmeriCorps Senior programs. However, little is known about how specific chronic diseases and mental health issues affect Foster Grandparents, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on volunteer activities for older adults. Using Bourdieu’s concept of <em>habitus</em>, this study outlines the structural influences of the Foster Grandparent program on volunteers’ motivation for volunteering, mental and physical health status before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and current household food security status. The study utilizes a survey, which was distributed by the National Senior Corps Association and the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors, and five regional focus groups, which highlight the volunteers’ motivation and personal experiences. The survey was adapted from the NHANES and translated into Spanish. The findings of this study suggest that volunteering in the Foster Grandparent program may maintain physical health and improve mental health of the volunteers. Utilizing an intergenerational program model may provide opportunities for older adults and children to adopt a “healthy <em>habitus</em>”<em> </em>to prevent or manage chronic disease and food insecurity<em>. </em></p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sorrell, Sara"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Bridget Hayden","Dr. Marie Danforth","Dr. Allison Formanack"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-10-09T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2021-10-09T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:33Z","subjects":["Foster Grandparent Program","survey","food insecurity","chronic disease","health","focus groups"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/858","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Bridget Hayden","Dr. Marie Danforth","Dr. Allison Formanack"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sorrell, Sara"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-10-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Foster Grandparent Program","survey","food insecurity","chronic disease","health","focus groups"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/858"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Volunteer service is associated with self-reported health improvement by older adult volunteers in AmeriCorps Senior programs. However, little is known about how specific chronic diseases and mental health issues affect Foster Grandparents, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on volunteer activities for older adults. Using Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, this study outlines the structural influences of the Foster Grandparent program on volunteers’ motivation for volunteering, mental and physical health status before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and current household food security status. The study utilizes a survey, which was distributed by the National Senior Corps Association and the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors, and five regional focus groups, which highlight the volunteers’ motivation and personal experiences. The survey was adapted from the NHANES and translated into Spanish. The findings of this study suggest that volunteering in the Foster Grandparent program may maintain physical health and improve mental health of the volunteers. Utilizing an intergenerational program model may provide opportunities for older adults and children to adopt a “healthy habitus” to prevent or manage chronic disease and food insecurity.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Descriptive Study of the Foster Grandparent Program in Support of the Creation of an Afterschool Program to Address Food Insecurity and Chronic Disease Risk in Older Adults and Children"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Bridget Hayden","Dr. Marie Danforth","Dr. Allison Formanack"],"dc:creator":["Sorrell, Sara"],"dc:date.available":["2021-10-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Volunteer service is associated with self-reported health improvement by older adult volunteers in AmeriCorps Senior programs. However, little is known about how specific chronic diseases and mental health issues affect Foster Grandparents, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on volunteer activities for older adults. Using Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, this study outlines the structural influences of the Foster Grandparent program on volunteers’ motivation for volunteering, mental and physical health status before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and current household food security status. The study utilizes a survey, which was distributed by the National Senior Corps Association and the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors, and five regional focus groups, which highlight the volunteers’ motivation and personal experiences. The survey was adapted from the NHANES and translated into Spanish. The findings of this study suggest that volunteering in the Foster Grandparent program may maintain physical health and improve mental health of the volunteers. Utilizing an intergenerational program model may provide opportunities for older adults and children to adopt a “healthy habitus” to prevent or manage chronic disease and food insecurity.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/858"],"dc:subject":["Foster Grandparent Program","survey","food insecurity","chronic disease","health","focus groups"],"dc:title":["A Descriptive Study of the Foster Grandparent Program in Support of the Creation of an Afterschool Program to Address Food Insecurity and Chronic Disease Risk in Older Adults and Children"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:33Z"}