“Always a capacity thing”: a realist analysis of volunteering in older people’s residential care homes

Understanding the interplay of factors that affect the contribution of volunteering to residential care homes for older people is complex. Using a realist approach, this paper aims to identify the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes which explain the differentiated experiences and outcomes of volunteering in such settings. Qualitative case studies with five residential care homes were undertaken to gather perspectives from volunteers and care home staff. These accounts were augmented with interviews with people running programmes designed to recruit and train volunteers and wider stakeholders. In total, 42 interviews were completed, and a realist analysis was undertaken. Key areas were identified which condition the effectiveness of volunteering in improving residents’ life experiences: policy and resources; ethos and approach to volunteering; planning and managing volunteering; and motivation and life experience. The authors developed a programme theory to explain the connections between the context, mechanisms and outcomes from the data. This paper’s originality comes from its realist approach, and the novel programme theory it develops to explain “what works” for volunteering in care homes. It provides insights for policymakers and those working in, and with, residential care homes, identifying the key factors that can support volunteering in these settings.