{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.010526315789473684, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0009569377990430622, 'mean_word_length': 5.662420382165605, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Beyond the Call of Duty: Older Volunteers Committed to Children and Families

Research on volunteerism has focused primarily on the recipients of this activity as opposed to the volunteers themselves. We examined the characteristics and experiences of older adults who volunteered with Family Friends, a program designed to assist families who have children with chronic illnesses or disabilities living at home. A profile of volunteers who remained involved in the program after their requested 9-month commitment and those who did not was also developed Results suggested that Family Friends volunteers experienced a mutually beneficial relationship between themselves and families that provided them with a sense of purpose and personal competence. Volunteers who stayed with the program beyond their required commitment were more highly educated, received a higher annual income, were more likely to volunteer with other organizations, and reported higher life satisfaction. Implications for volunteer recruiting and longevity are discussed.