A Comparative Study of the Relationship between Social Capital and The Quality of Life among the Elderly Living at Homes and Sanatoriums in Tehran

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the social capital and the quality of life among the elderly living at homes and those living at sanatoriums in Tehran. To achieve this aim, the survey method and the questionnaire tool were used to select and study 384 elderly people in Tehran. The findings show that the quality of life of the elderly living at homes is better than those staying in nursing institutions. There is also a significant association between the type of housing of the elderly and their social capital; those living at homes have higher social capital and a better quality of life than those living at sanatoriums. The results also show that there are significant associations between social capital and its constituent dimensions and the quality of life of the elderly. The results of multivariate analysis showed that after controlling for all  the variables, the type of housing still has a strong and significant impact on the quality of life of both elderly groups. However, this effect is stronger for the elderly living at homes than those staying in nursing homes. The variables of social participation, type of housing, social trust and social support have the greatest impact on the quality of life of the elderly, respectively