OBJECTIVE: Compare the subjective perception of quality of life and well-being of older people living alone, with the family and institutionalized, by means of instruments WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD. METHOD: We evaluated, in cross section, 51 elderly of either sex, aged over 60 years, attending the daycare center Casa do Idoso, in São José dos Campos city, State of São Paulo, Brazil, and residents of institutions Lar São Vicente de Paulo and Lar de Amparo à Velhice e à Infância de Barra Bonita, both in the city of Barra Bonita-SP, from November 2010 to February 2011. RESULTS: The group analyzed had high levels of quality of life in all domains of WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD facets, compared to the maximum score (100%) for each domain and/or facet. Only statistically significant differences were found regarding the WHOQOL-BREF in its physical domain, comparing the group of elderly living with their families with those institutionalized, being that the latter showed a higher degree of satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The study shows that despite the expected, the institutionalized elderly did not show worse perception of their quality of life when compared to non-institutionalized individuals. In addition, it strengthened the importance of social conviviality, psychological well-being, physical activity, among other factors, for a better perception of the quality of life.
Aging; Homes for the Aged; Quality of Life
