Purpose, meaning and well-being

A sense of purpose is the feeling that your days have direction and that you still matter to someone or something. Meaning is the sense that your life, with all its ups and downs, makes sense and has been worth living.

Later life can shake both. Retirement, the death of a spouse, illness or moving away from family can take away roles people held for decades. The good news is that purpose is not fixed. It can be rebuilt, often in small ways. This page explains what the research shows and offers practical ideas.

What purpose and meaning look like in later life

Purpose does not have to be grand. For one person it is caring for a grandchild. For another it is tending a garden, singing in a choir, checking on a neighbor or teaching a skill. What matters is that the activity connects to something you value.

Adults around the world say their relationships, especially with family and close friends, are their most important source of meaning and purpose.³ That is one reason purpose and loneliness are so closely tied.

Many people find that purpose shifts with age. Goals may move from building a career toward passing on what you know, caring for others or enjoying each day. That change is normal. It is not a loss of worth.

What research says about purpose and health

Researchers measure purpose with short questionnaires. People rate statements about whether they have goals, feel their life has direction and see value in what they do. Then the researchers follow them for years.

Purpose and living longer. A University of Michigan study followed 6,985 Americans over age 50 for about four years. In the group with the lowest purpose scores, a little more than 1 in 4 people died during the study. In the group with the highest scores, about 1 in 25 died.¹ After the researchers accounted for age, income, health problems and mood, the lowest-purpose group still had about two and a half times the risk of dying. Deaths from heart and blood vessel disease showed the clearest link.¹

Purpose and memory. Rush University researchers followed 951 older adults in the Chicago area who did not have dementia. Over an average of four years, people with high purpose scores were about 2.4 times as likely to stay free of Alzheimer's disease as people with low scores.² They were also less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (memory or thinking problems that are noticeable but do not yet disrupt daily life). Their thinking skills declined more slowly too.²

Purpose and taking care of yourself. People with a strong sense of purpose and support from others are more likely to use preventive care, such as checkups and screenings.³ Meaning also seems to help people stick with goals, including health goals.³

What these studies cannot tell us

These are observational studies. They watch what happens but do not test a treatment. Several things could explain the link:

• Purpose might help health directly, for example by lowering stress or keeping people active.
• People who are already healthy may find it easier to feel purposeful.
• A hidden illness can lower purpose before it is diagnosed.

The Michigan researchers checked this. When they looked only at people with no long-term illness, the link became too weak to be sure of.¹ The Rush researchers also noted that their study could not prove cause and effect.²

So the fair summary is this: purpose and good health travel together. Building purpose is a sensible goal for its own sake. But no one should feel blamed if illness has made life feel smaller.

Volunteering

Volunteering is one of the most studied ways to find purpose after work ends. In 2020 to 2021, about 60 million Americans age 16 and older volunteered through an organization, and many more helped others informally.³

What long-term studies show. A 2013 review pooled five large studies. Volunteers had about a 22% lower risk of dying during follow-up than people who did not volunteer.⁴ Most studies also linked volunteering to better life satisfaction and well-being. Benefits were stronger when people volunteered regularly over time.⁴

A 2020 study followed 12,998 Americans over age 50 for about four years. People who volunteered 100 hours a year or more (about 2 hours a week) had a lower risk of dying than people who did not volunteer. They also had fewer physical limits, more physical activity, a stronger sense of purpose, less loneliness and fewer depression symptoms.⁵ Volunteering was not linked to lower rates of most chronic diseases.⁵

What trials show. Only a few small trials have randomly assigned people to volunteer. Five trials with 308 people in total did not show clear, consistent health benefits.⁴ Most were short and had design problems.⁴ Healthier people may simply be more likely to volunteer in the first place.

The U.S. Surgeon General has described a helpful cycle. Volunteering builds social ties, and people with stronger ties seem to get more well-being from volunteering.³

AmeriCorps Seniors

AmeriCorps Seniors is a federal volunteer program for people 55 and older. It has three main parts:⁶

• Foster Grandparent Program: volunteers mentor children and teens who have extra needs and help them do better in school.
• Senior Companion Program: volunteers befriend older adults who have trouble with daily tasks. This helps them stay in their homes longer and gives family caregivers a break.
• RSVP: volunteers choose from many kinds of local service, using skills they already have or learning new ones.

Some programs pay a small stipend to volunteers with low income. Most offer accident and liability insurance.⁶ More than 143,000 people serve each year. In the program's own surveys, most volunteers said their health stayed the same or got better after a year.⁶ Those surveys had no comparison group, so they cannot show what caused the change.

Intergenerational programs

Intergenerational programs bring older adults together with children, teens or young adults. Examples include tutoring in schools, shared day programs for children and elders, mentoring and community gardens.

The best-known U.S. example is Experience Corps, started in Baltimore. Older volunteers helped children in kindergarten through third grade learn to read, about 15 hours a week.⁷

• A two-year trial. Older adults were randomly assigned to Experience Corps or to a comparison group offered the usual volunteer options in their community. Those in Experience Corps felt more strongly that they were giving something lasting to younger generations. This was true at 4, 12 and 24 months. The more time people spent in the program, the bigger the effect.⁸
• A small brain study. Eight older women in the program had brain scans before and after six months of service. As a group, their memory test scores suggested a higher risk of thinking problems. Compared with 9 similar people on a waiting list, the volunteers showed more activity in brain areas used for planning and self-control. They also did better on a test of those skills.⁷ This was a tiny study, so it is a hopeful sign, not proof.

Generations United, a national nonprofit, keeps a database of intergenerational programs you can search.⁹ It reports that about 2 in 3 Americans would like to spend more time with people outside their own age group.⁹

You do not need a formal program. Reading to a grandchild over video, teaching a teenager to cook or fix things, or sharing your life story with a younger relative can all count. Our page on reminiscence and life review offers ways to pass on your story.

When health or energy is limited

Illness, pain, hearing loss or caring for a spouse can make big commitments impossible. Purpose can still be found in smaller roles:

• Calling one person each week who lives alone
• Writing letters, cards or family recipes for grandchildren
• Praying for others, or taking part in a faith community from home
• Caring for a pet or plants
• Making music, art or crafts. See music and arts therapies.
• Sharing your knowledge by phone or video with someone learning your old trade

If you care for someone with dementia, remember that people living with dementia also need to feel useful. Folding laundry, setting the table or sorting photos can give a sense of contribution. See meaningful activities. And caregiving itself is a deep source of purpose for many people, as long as you also protect your own health. See caregiver burnout.

Ways to build purpose, one step at a time

1. Name what matters to you. Think about the times you felt most useful or alive. What were you doing, and for whom? Our ACT values lesson and behavioral activation values lesson can guide you.
2. Pick one small action. Choose something you can do this week that fits a value. Keep it small enough that you are likely to do it.
3. Add other people. Purpose and connection feed each other. Look for activities with a regular group or a set schedule. See ways to feel more connected.
4. Find local options. The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116, call or text) can connect you with your local Area Agency on Aging and community services.¹¹ AmeriCorps Seniors has an online search tool called Pathfinder.⁶
5. Try it for a few weeks. If one role does not fit, try another. It often takes time to feel the benefit.
6. Adjust as life changes. After a loss, a move or a new diagnosis, your purpose may need to change shape. That is part of aging, not a failure.

If you recently retired, our page on retirement and mental health has more ideas. For the wider picture, see staying mentally and socially active and keeping your brain healthy.

Common questions

Is it too late to find a new purpose in my 70s or 80s?

No. Many people take on new roles late in life, such as mentoring, volunteering or caring for family. In the Experience Corps trial, older adults gained a stronger sense of giving back over two years of service.⁸

I still feel empty even though I am busy. Why?

Being busy is not the same as having purpose. Purpose comes from activities tied to what you value. If the empty feeling lasts and comes with low mood, it may be depression. Talk with your doctor.¹⁰

Does caring for my spouse or grandchildren count?

Yes. Caring for others is one of the most common sources of meaning. Make sure you also have support and time for yourself.

What if volunteering starts to feel like a burden?

Cut back or switch roles. The research links regular, lasting volunteering with benefits, so choose something you can enjoy over time rather than something that wears you out.⁴

When to get help

Feeling a bit adrift after a big change is common. But a loss of purpose can also be part of depression. Talk with your doctor if signs like these last or keep coming back:¹⁰

• Sadness, hopelessness or feeling flat most of the day
• Little interest in things you used to enjoy
• Changes in sleep, appetite or energy
• Drinking more alcohol than usual
• Thoughts of death or of not wanting to live

Your primary care provider is a good place to start. They can refer you to a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist.¹⁰ To learn what Medicare pays for, see what Medicare covers for mental health and depression in later life.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.