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Let’s Walk It: Mobility and the Perceived Quality of Life in Older Adults

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  • Ulrike Bechtold

    (Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030 Vienna, Austria
    Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Natalie Stauder

    (Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

  • Martin Fieder

    (Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

European policy and the research and development landscape put forward a number of arguments in favor of implementing “Active Assisted Living” (AAL) for older adults: it will improve older adults’ quality of life, allow them to age in place, and keep costs for an ageing society down by exploiting new technology markets. The idea is that older adults who are supported by AAL and make use of assistive technologies will enjoy more freedom, autonomy, and mobility and also improved social integration and better communication. Yet, despite a history of more than 10 years of European research and development, the use of AAL applications is not as widespread as expected. To examine older adults’ attitudes to assistive technologies, we conducted a study in Vienna (Austria) between 2018 and 2020 questioning 245 older adults aged 61–93 years (M = 74.27 SD = 6.654) who lived at their private homes and had different support needs (ranging from “no support” to “everyday visit of social and/or care organizations”). The three goals of the study encompassed: (1) examination of their quality of life, (2) their attitudes and use of assistive technologies, and (3) the way they perceive their own and others’ life-course and getting older. AAL as a concept links “ageing in place” and “quality of life”. However, “mobility” is also of major importance here. In this paper, we aim to investigate the relation between the independent variables “Quality of life” and “Mobility” and their possible associations with the following dependent variables: cohabitation, social integration, self-rated health, sportive activities, locomotion, home well-being and safety, physical limitations, falls, and self-perception of their own ageing (compared to others). We calculated multivariate models regressing on these explaining and confounding variables. We found a positive correlation between mobility and quality of life. In detail, our results show a significant positive association between QOL and mobility regarding self-rated health and self-perception. Experiencing vertigo, walking difficulties, and balance problems significantly and negatively influence self-rated health and self-perception compared to others. Our findings can also be read as a clear message that there is a need to improve both health and the culture of ageing and to facilitate positive attitudes toward ageing as an efficient way to enhance the Quality of life of older adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Ulrike Bechtold & Natalie Stauder & Martin Fieder, 2021. "Let’s Walk It: Mobility and the Perceived Quality of Life in Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11515-:d:670412
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ottoni, Callista A. & Sims-Gould, Joanie & Winters, Meghan & Heijnen, Myrthe & McKay, Heather A., 2016. "“Benches become like porches”: Built and social environment influences on older adults’ experiences of mobility and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 33-41.
    2. Louis Neven & Alexander Peine, 2017. "From Triple Win to Triple Sin: How a Problematic Future Discourse is Shaping the Way People Age with Technology," Societies, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-11, September.
    3. Laura Maniscalco & Silvana Miceli & Filippa Bono & Domenica Matranga, 2020. "Self-Perceived Health, Objective Health, and Quality of Life among People Aged 50 and Over: Interrelationship among Health Indicators in Italy, Spain, and Greece," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Chao Wang & Run Pu & Bishwajit Ghose & Shangfeng Tang, 2018. "Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain, Self-Reported Health and Quality of Life among Older Populations in South Africa and Uganda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-13, December.
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    1. Andréa Gomes Martins Gaspar & Luís Velez Lapão, 2022. "A Digital Health Service for Elderly People with Balance Disorders and Risk of Falling: A Design Science Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, February.

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