A comparison of life satisfaction and mood in nursing home residents and community-dwelling elders

This study compared life satisfaction and mood in a sample of 138 cognitive ly intact and ambulatory elders, including 70 who lived in nursing homes an d 68 who lived independently in the community. Community-dwelling elders re ported greater life satisfaction, and scored higher on the Vigor-Activity s ubscale of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) than those who lived in a nurs ing: home. Nursing home residents scored higher on the Depression-Dejection , Tension-Anxiety, and Confusion-Bewilderment subscales of the POMS. No bet ween group differences were shown on the Anger-Hostility and Fatigue-Inerti a subscales of the POMS. The diminished life satisfaction and high depressi on found in the nursing home residents hold immediate implications for prof essionals who work in this area. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Compan y.