Quality of Life Among the Elderly Within Varied Societal Contexts and Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Elderly in Diverse Living Conditions

Abstract

Background:

Globalization has hastened change, leading to an aging society. Elderly-living issues have become more prevalent alongside globalization, with health, relationships, education, socioeconomics, and psychology being important factors associated with enhancing the Quality of Life (QoL). The popularity of residential care for the elderly is growing, yet there is limited knowledge regarding its quality of life. The researchers aimed to explore the QoL and inform the factors affecting the QoL among the elderly who live in various residential types and related factors that can affect their QoL.

Methods:

This cross-sectional cohort study recruited elderly people, 60 years old and over, who lived in the community of Chiang Mai province between May and October 2023. We measured the QoL of the participants using a translated and validated WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore factors related to QoL.

Results:

Out of 117 participants, those living in their own homes had a significantly higher QoL score (91.0 [79.5–99.0] compared to 99.0 [90.0–110.0] for residential care). The self-own houses group showed significantly higher scores in the “sensory abilities” and “autonomy” domains.

Conclusion:

The study showed associations between elderly demographics, living conditions, and QoL. The total participants’ average QoL was “good”. The residential care group exhibited lower scores in all six QoL dimensions, particularly in areas related to sensory abilities and autonomy. We can improve the well-being and quality of life of elderly residential care residents by focusing on sensory stimulation and autonomy.