Interventions to enhance the quality of life of older people in residential long-term care (2012)

In residential long-term care (LTC), a growing interest exists in the older residents’ quality of life (QoL). The active ageing-concept (AA) extended this focus, since AA has the aim to enhance QoL by optimising the opportunities for health, participation and security. In LTCs, AA can be outlined by 9 determinants. This systematic review aimed at identifying interventions to improve the QoL of LTC-residents. These interventions were organised according to the AA-determinants. Currently, studies aimed at enhancing the QoL of older LTC-resident are limited and often directed to physical and psychological interventions. The lack of a systematic effect on QoL is possibly related to the fact that these interventions were often not multidimensional, whereas QoL is a multidimensional concept.