Conceptual Model among Neighborhood Environment, Personal Competence, and Quality of Life of Older Adults Aging in Place: Based on the Ecological Theory of Aging

Fan Zhang, Dezhi Li

Research output: Chapter in book / Conference proceedingConference article published in proceeding or bookAcademic researchpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

For older adults who are aging in place, the neighborhood environment plays a pretty important role in their lives due to their functional impairment and low mobility. The ecological theory of aging pointed out that the relative relation between the personal competence and environmental press from their neighborhood environment would impact on older adults. This study aims to investigate how this relative relation impacts on the quality of life (QoL) of older adults. The hypothesis of the conceptual model of "P-E-Q"is established based on the ecological theory of aging. Variables and its measurable items are designed to assess the neighborhood environmental press, personal competence, and QoL of older adults. 192 eligible older adults aging in place are surveyed. Reliability test and linear regression analysis are adopted to verify measurable items and analyze qualitative data. Results of linear regression analysis shows difference value between personal competence and neighborhood environmental press can explain 42.3% of the variance of QoL of older adults. It reveals that the difference value between personal competence and neighborhood environmental press has a significant influence on QoL of older adults, supporting the hypothesis of the conceptual model of "P-E-Q". The neighborhood environment should be improved to fit the competence of older adults who age in place. This study provides valuable strategies to optimize neighborhood environment for supporting aging in place.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationConstruction Research Congress 2020
Subtitle of host publicationProject Management and Controls, Materials, and Contracts - Selected Papers from the Construction Research Congress 2020
EditorsDavid Grau, Pingbo Tang, Mounir El Asmar
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Pages982-991
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9780784482889
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2020
Externally publishedYes
EventConstruction Research Congress 2020: Project Management Controls, Materials, Contracts - Tempe, United States
Duration: 8 Mar 202010 Mar 2020

Publication series

NameConstruction Research Congress 2020: Project Management and Controls, Materials, and Contracts - Selected Papers from the Construction Research Congress 2020

Conference

ConferenceConstruction Research Congress 2020: Project Management Controls, Materials, Contracts
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityTempe
Period8/03/2010/03/20

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Building and Construction

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