Estimation of the quality of life in housing for the elderly based on a structural equation model

The housing environment is of utmost importance as people spend most of their time indoors; it is closely related to the occupant's quality of life (QOL) and health, especially among the elderly. This study evaluated the relationships among the architectural composition (AC), indoor environmental quality (IEQ), residential satisfaction (RS), and the QOL of those residing in housing for the elderly in Northeast China based on the results of a large-scale questionnaire and structural equation. The questionnaire was designed based on previous literature and included questions on the demographics, 11 items related to the AC, actual records, 19 measurable RS items, 6 measurable IEQ items, and 14 measurable aspects of QOL. The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews, at 34 randomly selected homes for the elderly. In total, 1457 valid questionnaire responses were collected and checked using the reliability and validation tests. The results of the structural equation model indicated that the IEQ and RS have the greatest impact on the QOL, and act as intermediary variables, which indirectly affect the influence of the AC on the QOL. Therefore, the QOL of the elderly can be improved by enhancing the IEQ and RS. Overall, the results herein demonstrate that the structure equation model is valid, and the difference analysis indicates the differences in the evaluation results for buildings of different scales and structural characteristics. These results can make important contributions to the innovation of future housing for the elderly that can meet their needs and improve their QOL.