Summary
Social scientists emphasize the importance of elucidating the factors that influence the quality of life of elderly people, especially those in need of social assistance. Aim: to present findings of an empirical theory-grounded research on the factors of the quality of life of socially dependent elderly people living in long-term care institutions. Methods: The data were collected in half-structured interviews and analysed by the constructivist version of the grounded theory methodology by K. Charmaz. Elderly people (aged 60–92), living in residential care institutions, were interviewed.
Results and conclusions. While analysing 21 semi-structured interviews with assisted elderly people, the following main factors of the quality of life were identified: (1) independence and self-sufficiency;
(2) re-creating the important life moments; (3) sustaining lively social connections with important social actors; (4) acceptance of assistance services; (5) vitality (both physiological and psychological). Also, two latent factors were identified: (6) eventuality which manifests as a catalyst of all processes; (7) financial decisions which are fundamental for sustaining the desired level of the quality of life.