Quality of Life of Elderly People in Nursing Homes During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Covid-19 and the restrictive measures it brought with it significantly impacted the daily habits and routines of elderly people. Residential care facilities for the elderly were high-risk environments during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the residents themselves were a vulnerable group with various morbidities and co-morbidities. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the quality of life of older people living in nursing homes. The research included 153 participants who were residents of nursing homes and was conducted from May to August 2021. The study included "Naš dom" in Travnik, "Revitalis" in Bugojno, "Linija života" in Donji Vakuf, "Sentivo 1" and "Sentivo 2" in Ilidža, and "Vitalis" in Ilidža. The research used the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, which is a shortened version of the WHOQOL-100 questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess the quality of life. The results showed that older people did not experience a significant decline in quality of life, but the results varied between institutions. Women had a lower quality of life than men, as did older participants compared to younger ones. Gender, age, educational status, and experience with COVID-19 are significant factors that may influence the quality of life of elderly people living in nursing homes.