Using age, cohort, and period to study elderly volunteerism

American volunteers, both informally and through organizations like the Corporation for National Service, make huge contributions to the wellbeing of millions of Americans and, via their unpaid or minimally-reimbursed work, to the American economy. Can America continue to count on maintaining or increasing volunteer contributions in the future? This question is especially important as the Baby Boomers replace the current generation of older Americans. This article provides faculty and students with information on elderly volunteering. It suggests and demonstrates using age-cohort-period analysis to understand different forces affecting volunteering by older Americans. A major benefit of age-cohort-period analysis is preventing faulty conclusions and, consequently, faulty policy decisions and waste of resources. Such analysis can also enhance current and future efforts to recruit and retain volunteers, particularly among the elderly.