Review The relationship between time spent in volunteering activities and quality of life in adults over the age of 50 years: A systematic review Benjamin Milbourn 1 , Jaya Saraswati 2 and Angus Buchanan 3 Abstract Introduction: Increased attention has focused on the importance of time spent by ageing adults in volunteering. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse literature exploring the relationship between time spent volunteering and quality of life for adults over the age of 50 years. Method: Electronic searches of nine databases located relevant articles involving adults over the age of 50 in volunteering activities that included psychological, physical and social quality of life domains. The quality of the selected articles was assessed and data extracted using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Results: Of the 65 articles retrieved, 22 were reviewed and eight included in the final review. Studies included one randomised controlled trial, one cross-sectional and six longitudinal studies. Levels of time spent volunteering by participants within the studies varied considerably. Articles retrieved reported positive quality of life outcomes includingincreases in life satisfaction, self-esteem and social support and a slowed functional decline. Conclusion: Volunteering is identified as an important occupation for adults over the age of 50, although the relationship between time spent volunteering and the impact on quality of life outcomes is still not fully understood. Future research is required to better understand the impact of time spent volunteering on quality of life. Keywords Volunteering, ageing, occupation, leisure, wellbeing Received: 4 September 2017; accepted: 19 April 2018 Introduction and literature review The participation and engagement of older adults in productive activities, such as volunteering, is receiving increased attention in modern society (Morrow-Howell, 2010). Volunteering provides a growing number of ageing adults with opportunities to remain active in older age, resulting in lives that are longer, healthier, more independ- ent and more satisfying (Ayalon, 2008). Historically, older adults have turned to volunteering to remain active, to help ease the transition from full-time work to retirement, to provide structure and to promote positive wellbeing (Chilvers et al., 2010; Haski-Leventhal, 2009). The definition ‘older adult’ is often problematic and perhaps at times misleading. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines older adult as aged 60þ years (WHO, 2016). In Australia, older Australians are seen as over the age of 65; however, indigenous Australians are defined as older adults over the age of 50 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2017). Therefore, for the purpose for this study, we will be focus- ing on older adults aged 50 years and above. In the west- ern world, the number of people who are aged over the age of 65 as a proportion of the population is increasing (WHO, 2011). For example, in Australia in 2013 there were 3.2 million people aged 65 years and over, and this is expected to triple to an estimated 11.1 million by 2061 (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2013). In the United Kingdom the population is getting older, with 20.4% the population aged 65 years and over (United Kingdom Office for National Statistics, 2017). Given these predictions of ageing populations, fostering older adult lifestyles that promote healthy ageing and quality 1 Senior Lecturer, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Australia 2 Occupational Therapist, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Australia 3 Head of school, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Australia Corresponding author: Benjamin Milbourn, Senior Lecturer, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Building 401. Currtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, 6845. Email: ben.milbourn@curtin.edu.au British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2018, Vol. 81(11) 613–623 ! The Author(s) 2018 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0308022618777219 journals.sagepub.com/home/bjot