# Have a place to live? – study on the influence of the living environment on the subjective well-being of older adults

## TL;DR

This study explores how the living environment affects the happiness of older adults in China, finding that factors like air quality, community support, and economic security play key roles.

## Contribution

The study introduces a detailed analysis of how different dimensions of the living environment influence subjective well-being among older adults in urban and rural China.

## Key findings

- Indoor air purification and public facilities positively impact older adults' well-being.
- Social support and community relationships reduce loneliness and enhance happiness.
- Rural older adults are more affected by economic security than urban residents.

## Abstract

Against the backdrop of accelerating global aging, China’s population aged 60 and above has exceeded 18% of the total population, making the quality of life of older adults a focal point of societal concern. As a core factor influencing the quality of home-based elderly care, the living environment encompasses natural, social, material, and spiritual dimensions, directly impacting older adults’ physical and mental health as well as subjective well-being. Existing research has acknowledged the influence of living environments on older adults’ subjective well-being but lacks in-depth analysis of environmental disparities across different regions and cultural contexts.

Drawing on environmental adaptation theory, socio-emotional selectivity theory, and social support theory, this study utilized 4,298 valid samples from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). A linear regression model was constructed to analyze how differences in living environments—classified into physical, social, and spiritual dimensions—affect older adults’ subjective well-being. Heterogeneity tests were conducted through urban–rural subgroup analyses, and robustness was verified using a winsorization method.

The results show that Indoor air purification, public facility adequacy, surrounding environmental quality, and security all significantly and positively influenced subjective well-being. Neighborhood relationships, community belonging, economic status, and trust in neighbors were positively correlated with subjective well-being. Social support mitigated loneliness, acting as a mediating factor, with a more pronounced effect on older adults living alone.Satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, life confidence, and future expectations positively predicted subjective well-being, while family book collections had no significant impact.Rural older adults were more sensitive to economic security, whereas urban counterparts prioritized quality-of-life factors. Age and educational background showed divergent effects between urban and rural groups.

Disparities in living environments are critical determinants of older adults’ subjective well-being. Enhancing physical infrastructure, strengthening community support, and enriching spiritual life can significantly boost their happiness.