Table 1.

Description of participants

Name (pseudonym)	Age	Marital status	Housing tenure	Level of education	Ethnicity	Volunteering status	Time living alone
Denise	65	Single	Owner occupied	PG Dip	White British	Volunteering	28 years
Cathy	80	Single	Rented privately or with a job or business	MSc	White British	Volunteering	20 years
Wendy	73	Widowed	Owner occupied	School level	White British	Volunteering	4 months
Angela	74	Widowed	Owner occupied	School level	White British	Not currently volunteering	10 years
Diane	74	Separated	Owner occupied	BA	White British	Volunteering	< 1 year
Kim	74	Surviving partner	Owner occupied	MSc	White British	Volunteering	7 years
Janet	66	Widowed	Owner occupied	School level	White British	Has not volunteered	< 1 year

PG Dip Post-graduate diploma, MSc Master of science, BA Bachelor’s degree