Assessment of the quality of life of elderly in a selected community in Ernakulam district

Introduction: Aging population is facing a significant demographic shift globally, with developing countries like India experiencing a rapid increase in the elderly population. Aging is associated with a multitude of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual challenges that affect the quality of life (QoL).Thus, assessing QoL among the elderly is essential to formulate strategies that ensure holistic well-being. Current study aimed to assess the quality of life of elderly residing in a selected community in Ernakulam district.Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A total of 50 elderly people aged between 60-80 years were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data was collected using Socio demographic data sheet to assess the demographic variables and Quality of Life Rating Scale to assess the quality of life of elderly. Both were prepared by the investigators and the validity and reliability of the tool was established.Results: The study showed that majority (80%) of the elderly had a good quality of life meanwhile 14% were graded under very good quality of life and the remaining six percentage had a satisfactory level of quality of life and no subjects had poor and very poor quality of life. A majority showed better scores in the physical and psychological domains. Some participants showed low scores in the social and spiritual domains, indicating potential issues such as social isolation, chronic illness, or inadequate healthcare access.Conclusion: The findings revealed that xwhile most elderly participants experience a good quality of life, a small but notable portion exhibit only satisfactory QoL. This subgroup may face challenges such as chronic diseases, lack of family support, financial dependency. Improvements in community-based geriatric care, regular health checkups, spiritual and social engagement opportunities, and targeted policy interventions can enhance QoL.