The Psychological Well-Being and Self-Efficacy of Elderly Individuals in Community and Residential Care Facility: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: As Bangladesh's population ages, new challenges are emerging. The traditional family structure is changing, and more elderly people are living apart from their families. This shift, along with the increase in residential care facilities, is changing how older adults are cared for. To improve the quality of life for older adults in Bangladesh, it's important to understand how different living arrangements affect their self-efficacy and their psychological well-being. Aim: To investigate the self-efficacy and psychological well-being of elderly individuals residing in community and residential care facilities in Bangladesh. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design, conducting face-to-face surveys among 159 elderly individuals, with 106 from the community and 53 residing in care facilities in Bangladesh. Data were collected using Ryff’s 42-item Psychological Well-Being Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS 20 and Spearman’s Rank correlation, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis H tests. Result: The study found that elderly individuals living in the community generally reported higher levels of psychological well-being and self-efficacy (mean = 4.08 ± 0.71 and 2.83 ± 0.84, respectively) compared to those residing in care facilities (mean = 3.28 ± 0.92 and 2.32 ± 1.028, respectively) with significant comparison analysis between these two groups (p= 0.006, p= 0.000). Additionally, correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between self-efficacy and psychological well-being in both groups, particularly stronger in residential care facilities. Sociodemographic associations highlighted various factors influencing psychological well-being and self-efficacy in each setting, such as age, marital status, educational qualification, mobility status, allowance, technology usage, leisure participation, community volunteering, social engagement, financial security, and satisfaction with living arrangements. Conclusion: The findings suggest the importance of tailored interventions addressing sociodemographic factors to enhance psychological well-being and self-efficacy among elderly individuals in both community and residential care settings. Keywords: Psychological Well-Being, Self-Efficacy, Older adults, Old home, Community Dwelling, Residential Care Facilities, Elderly Care.