Factors Affecting Quality of Life of Older Adults in New Zealand

Running Head: OLDER ADULTS
Older Adults

OLDER ADULTS 1
The older adults can be defined as the adults whose age is more than 65 years. Life satisfaction,
activity and interdependence are the factors which are considered to be of prime importance as it
allows the older adults to perform their day to day activities in an efficient manner. All aspects of
life such as social, mental, physical and spiritual are included in it. The quality of life of the older
adults focuses on both positive and negative parts of life. Furthermore, housing, family support
and care, nutrition, transport and cultural connections are the factors due to which the quality of
life of the older adults are impacted. This essay is focuses on the factors affecting the quality of
life and positive life experience of the older adults in New Zealand.
Among the number of factors that affect the quality of life of the older adults such as transport,
nutrition, housing, physical and mental health. Transportation is an important factor because it is
needed by the older adults for the purpose of visiting a doctor, shopping, travelling to new places
and maintaining social interaction. Transportation facilities should be good because it is
impossible for the elderly people to drive a car due to a number of issues which, in turn, may
have a negative influence on their lives. This is due to the fact that driving cessation makes them
dependent on others for the fulfillment of their needs. Also, in some rural areas, there is lack of
availability of the transport services which makes it difficult for the people living in such areas to
easily access health and other services along with maintaining connectivity with the friends and
family. In order to deal with this problem, mobility services such as specialized disability
services and mobility scooters can assist in improving the quality of life of the older adults.
The second factor affecting the quality of life is nutrition. The nutrition requirements of the older
adults are different and therefore special attention is required to be paid to them. At the old age,
an imperative role is played by nutrition for the maintenance of good health. Furthermore, the
nutritional patterns are influenced by a number of components such as social, physiological,
cognitive and lifestyle changes. Health issues are suffered by the older adults in cases when they
do not take proper diet. This may further lead them towards a number of health disorders such as
bone loss and arthritis. The intake of a balanced diet becomes difficult for the elderly people as
they are unable to focus on individual lifestyle and cooking patterns. Dementia and depression
are some of the mental disorders which sometimes make the elderly people prepare food which
is not fully cooked. The poor health outcomes are the ultimate consequence of their poor eating
habits which, in turn, impact their quality of life.