Age Differences in the Influence of Residential Environment and Behavior on the Life Quality of Older Adults: The Transfer from Physical-Environment to Social-Behavior

With the development of the concept of “ageing-friendly communities”, increasing attention has been paid to the effect of residential environments on the life quality of older adults. However, the logical relationship between residential environment, individual behavior and life quality of older adults has not been clearly revealed. Based on data in Shanghai, China, this study explored the relationships between residential environments and the life quality of older adults in different age groups, and analyzed the mediating role of individual behaviors (neighborhood interaction and outdoor exercise). The findings confirmed that residential environment, neighborhood interactions and outdoor exercise have significant positive effects on the life quality of older adults. Meanwhile, the impact of residential environment on the life quality of older adults is exclusively realized through the mediating role of individual behavior. However, there were significant differences in the model paths among various age groups. With ageing, the positive effects of residential environment on the quality of life gradually weakened, while that of neighborhood interaction gradually improved. The findings prove that the influencing factors on the quality of life of older adults tend to shift from residential environment to neighborhood interaction as the age of residents advances. This knowledge is crucial with regard to the differentiated and accurate design of older communities.