In this chapter the concept of care-related quality of life (crQoL) is discussed as a basis for research within social gerontology and as a framework for evaluation of quality and performance within health and social care services for older people. The motivation for this, both theoretically and practically oriented work, lies in an increasing awareness that issues of quality of life (QoL) are particularly relevant in the study of older people who are vulnerable, frail or disabled. The changes in personal capacities, abilities, and circumstances that often accompany old age may fundamentally challenge the basis of a person's well-being and may undermine their ability to cope with everyday life (Sixsmith, 1994; Hughes, 1990). For those people who rely on daily support from health and social care services this is likely to have a major impact on their QoL. Enhancing QoL should be a major component in how we assess the value and impact of the services.
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Vaarama, M., Pieper, R., Sixsmith, A. (2007). Care-related Quality of Life: Conceptual and Empirical Exploration. In: Mollenkopf, H., Walker, A. (eds) Quality of Life in Old Age. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 31. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5682-6_13
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