The influence of qualitative assessments of the social and physical environment on the morale of the rural elderly

Abstract

This study examined the impact of qualitative assessments of the social and physical environment on the morale of a community sample of 231 rural elderly. It was hypothesized that qualitative assessments would make a significant contribution to morale after the application of controls for background influences and activity participation. Providing support for the hypothesis, the set of six qualitative assessment variables explained 14% of the total variance in life satisfaction, the criterion of morale, when entered at the final stage of the analysis. Additionally, multiple regression analysis revealed that significant individual contributions to life satisfaction were made by availability of a confidant, transportation need, shopping enjoyment, neighbor satisfaction, and community satisfaction, from the qualitative assessment set.

Population aging in local areas and subjective well-being of older adults: Findings from two studies in Japan

“…Most studies conducted prior to the 1990s assessed neighborhood characteristics by examining individual perceptions, such as community satisfaction (7,8) or fear of crime (9); such indicators are affected not only by neighborhood characteristics, but also by individual characteristics such as sex (9). In addition, most studies on elderly concentration and SWB have been focused on senior housing or retirement communities that are designed to meet the needs of elderly people who preferred to live there.…”