Aging & Social Change: Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Our study evaluates overall Quality of Life (QOL) at different levels of Health Resources (HRES) to understand the dominant determinants of quality of life based on older people’s health resources. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from older people (n = 164; age mean = 85.8 years) or proxies living in continuing care residences. Dominance analysis of linear regressions results was performed, using data collected with the Quality of Life Seniors’ Profile (QOLPSV; comprising dimensions related to personal physical, psychological, and spiritual functioning, fit with physical, social, and community environments, and practical, leisure, and growth development activities), as well as health-related data collected from the Self-Evaluation of Life Function Scale (SELF). A three-level health resources index HRES comprising SELF data reflecting disabilities, ADLs, physical and cognitive functions, and social embeddedness was then constructed. We find that while the explained variances of QOL are similar for all HRES levels, the dominant QOLPSV determinants vary. The dominant QOLPSV determinants of older people who have low HRES relate more to personal functioning, whereas older people with medium HRES have development opportunities and the fit dimension (physical, social, and community environments) as more dominant QOL determinants. Older people with high HRES have some aspects of the functioning and fit dimensions plus the development dimension (leisure and growth activities) as dominant determinants of QOL. Supporting different dimensions of QOL depending on older people’s health resources has the potential to improve quality of life through better targeting of what services and supports are provided.