The Relationship between Perception of Care, Sense of Security, and Subjective Psychological Well-Being among Older Adults Living in Sheltered Housing vs. Independent Housing in Israel

Abstract

While the home environment provides a crucial context for aging, considerable knowledge gaps remain regarding how perceptions of care and sense of security impact older people’s subjective psychological well-being. The current study aimed to assess the attitudes of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and compared older people living in sheltered housing with those living in independent housing in the community. The participants included 235 respondents living in sheltered housing and 726 participants living in independent housing. Participants living in sheltered housing were more likely to feel that they were being cared for than those living in independent housing in the community. Perception of care received partially mediated the effect of type of housing on the sense of financial security and health security. In addition, a sense of security (both financial and health) partially mediated the effect of perception of care received on the sense of meaning in life, life satisfaction, and optimism.