title: [What influences life satisfaction in old age? Representative study for home health care and custodial support in German-speaking Switzerland].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most older adults wish to stay in their own homes even after the onset of care dependency, which is enabled by different care arrangements. General life satisfaction can serve as a criterion for assessing the functionality of these arrangements.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is based on a standardized survey (face-to-face interviews; n=712) performed in 2009/2010. The population consisted of persons aged ≥70 years, with a need for care, living in one of three selected Swiss German-speaking cantons. The dataset is a representative sample of the population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following results were found with regard to the surveyed target group of persons aged ≥70 years, living at home and receiving formal and/or informal care: the need for care of persons ≥80 is not greater than that of persons aged 70-79 years and is not decisive for general life satisfaction. Strength of social network, presence (or absence) of pain, and satisfaction with care are more important. The odds of being satisfied with life are greater with increasing age. The social network of persons ≥80 is weaker than that of persons aged 70-79 years but contributes nonetheless to satisfaction with life.
authors.affiliation: Institut Alter, Berner Fachhochschule, Schwarztorstr. 48, 3007, Bern, Schweiz. jonathan.bennett@bfh.ch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riedel
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003482:Custodial Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology