Literature review for a proposal - Research Paper Example

The old women have financial needs, and since the government support is growing smaller with time, they have to fend for themselves (Creswell and Clark, 2011, 87). Working few years make it difficult for them to survive comfortably when they retire, since the cash flow stops; hence they prefer to work longer. The number of working women has increased steadily over the years than those preferring to retire. The theory that many older women use states that an individual needs to reduce retirement to ensure retirement.

This insinuates that they have work extra time to continue living well. Nonprofit organizations (NFP) needing older volunteers are affected by the fact that older women prefer working to volunteering. These organizations entirely depend on voluntary workers to enable them work effectively (Simopoulos, 2001, 25). They depend mostly on elderly people who have retired since the younger ones still work officially. NFPs needing older volunteers get the strongest hit after all this since getting a younger generation for replacement is quite tedious.

The NFPs though, can maintain the work force by offering a little stipend to the volunteers, not necessarily payment, but just a thank you token to them to help in their survival (Brayley, 22, 2001). The volunteering has not died completely yet since some organizations have started giving their volunteers some money, and since the rate of unemployment is increasing the unemployed opt to volunteer since the little they get is better than nothing at all (Galligan, 2005, 34). An additional reason why women do not retire as early as men is because they do not face the effects of old age as early as men; hence they are still stronger to carry on with various work when they are elderly.

Research shows that fewer elder women work in Australia as compared to other OECD countries. An example is in the United Kingdom and New Zealand where many elderly women work. Research shows that more women in Australia aged between 55 and 65 are going back to the work force. Some of them go back as a matter of choice while others go back as a matter of necessity (Greig, Frank and Kevin, 2003, 67). When they have not retired, most women accustom themselves to a lifestyle which they cannot afford after retirement; hence they have to go back to the workforce.

Some women are the sole breadwinners of their families. Quitting would mean putting a start to a struggle of not only their lives but their dependants’ lives, as well (Ciconte & Jacob, 2009, 14). Some women, though, prefer to volunteer, since they consider the fact that it makes them quite active and helps them remain fit in their elderly days (Worell, 2001, 78). Research on elderly women working and volunteering has been done in Australia. The results found on women working has surpassed that of women volunteering, since most elder women are quite a contribution to the hardship in the economy hence by working, they help ease the economic constraint by earning a living and not entirely depending on government for financial assistance.

The government also encourages the elder people to join the work force after retirement to strengthen the community capacity and assist in the growth of the country (Bhatia and William, 2005,135). The research on elder women working has also been done in other countries too. Sub Saharan Africa must be one of the leading areas where elder women have to work and not volunteer. The HIV/AIDS menace, which