Quality of life is a multidimensional construct often conceptualized in terms of social connectedness, happiness, and independence. Because of the common physical and mental declines associated with aging, older persons’ quality of life might be especially sensitive to their social and physical environments. Ecological theories of aging suggest that the well-being of older persons is a function of their competencies and of the challenges and stressors of their environments, yet insufficient attention has been given to macro-level city environments. Buffel and her associates (2012) propose that city environments matter for the happiness of older persons, and these authors have encouraged more comparative research on age-friendly cities. The present study combines two sources of data, individual-level survey data (Wave 1 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (n=3,005)) and official records about demographic, economic, crime, weather, and arts and leisure characteristics of metropolitan statistical areas in the United States (n=57). Analyses utilize hierarchical linear modelling techniques to study how a diverse set of city-level factors are related to a diverse set of measures of the well-being of older persons. Our results show that measures of income, employment, education, and crime at the city-level are particularly consequential for a diverse set of measures of the well-being of older persons, including mental health, self-esteem, happiness, depression, anxiety, and stress. This macro-level analysis suggests the importance of identifying why these measures of city-level quality of life are particularly influential for the well-being of older persons.
展开▼
