Currently, one in eight Americans is over 65 years of age
[1]. By 2050, more than 33 million persons in the United
States (US) will be aged 65–74 years, while 30 million will
be between 75 and 84 years, and 20.5 million will be over
the age of 85 years [1]. The quality of older adults’ lives is
receiving increased attention. A recent report from the
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion [2] noted that QOL decreased in the US population
as a whole from 1993 to 2001. Both the increase in
the proportion of the population over 65 years of age and
the reported decrease in QOL underscore the need to
examine factors associated with QOL in older adults.
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health
Organization (WHO) [3] as ‘‘individuals’ perception of
their position in life in the context of the culture and value
systems in which they live and in relation to their goals,
expectations, standards, and concerns.’’ The WHO further
notes that QOL is a concept with several domains,
including physical and mental health, social functioning,
and emotional well-being. QOL has been conceptualized in
many ways depending on the discipline, paradigm, and