What do Canadian seniors say supports their quality of life? Findings from a national participatory research study.
BACKGROUND
A national project investigated seniors' perceptions of the influences upon their quality of life. The seven participating cities were Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Regina, Vancouver and Whitehorse. The project focussed on policy decisions affecting the quality of life of seniors. It was a participatory study in which seniors controlled the direction and shape of the project in each city.


METHODS
Focus groups and individual interviews with seniors and stakeholders. Data analysis used qualitative methods to see the world through the eyes of participants. Each project was committed to hearing the voices of seniors and their views on which issues were affecting the quality of their lives.


RESULTS
Across the seven cities, seniors highlighted access to information, health care, housing, income security, safety and security, social contacts and networks, and transportation as key issues that affect the quality of life of seniors in Canada.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings affirm the value of participatory activities that involve seniors working with other sectors as a productive policy-informing approach. The Seniors' Quality of Life projects demonstrate the conceptual power of the determinants of health perspective to understand seniors' quality of life issues. While seniors considered health care to be a continuing concern, they also recognized socio-economic issues as significantly affecting the quality of their lives.
Bryant
Toba
T
York University Centre for Health Studies, 4700 Keele Street, 214 York Lanes, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3. tbryant@yorku.ca
Brown
Ivan
I
Cogan
Tara
T
Dallaire
Clemence
C
Laforest
Sophie
S
McGowan
Patrick
P
Raphael
Dennis
D
Richard
Lucie
L
Thompson
Loraine
L
Young
Joyce
J
D022126:Access to Information; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012931:Social Environment; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support