A perspective on how to improve the quality of life of elderly people living in rural areas

Introduction: We are going to witness the demographic shift with the predictable trends of population ageing and thus need to understand healthy ageing. This study was aimed to understand factors that influence the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly. Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in 4 selected villages including males and females of age group > 60 years of age. 20 elderly individuals and 10 elderly individuals were chosen for a free listing and pile sorting exercise respectively. Smith's index was calculated for a free listing. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were conducted to do pile sorting of data. Data were analyzed using Flame v1.2 and Anthropac. Result: During free-listing, 54 salient items were identified. Financial stability, healthy living, self-sufficiency, and work engagement were the most frequent responses that came from the study subjects. 25 salient items that were repeated in the free-listing exercise were included for the pile-sorting. The piles generated ranged from 3-12. Later, 25 perceived items (factors) for improving quality of life were clustered into 5 groups (Role of harmonious family, healthy ageing, daily schedule activity, leisure time and external support). Conclusion: The elderly recognized that a harmonious family, healthy ageing, daily schedule with leisure activity, and Government support can all improve their quality of life.