Conceptualizing quality of life for elderly people with stroke

PURPOSE: Despite increased interest in quality of life (QOL) as an outcome measure and as a means of identifying client needs in health care, its conceptualisation and the identification of its constituents have been poorly researched for elderly people with stroke in Hong Kong. METHOD: This article analysed the literature to identify components relevant to the QOL of Chinese elderly people with stroke living in the community in Hong Kong. RESULTS: While common components of QOL for elderly people with and without stroke and regardless of cultural background were identified, a number were specific to an elderly Chinese stroke population. CONCLUSION: Recommendations for future research have been made with reference to further exploring and validating these components for the target population. A clear understanding of these aspects is essential for the development of sensitive QOL measures to guide and evaluate service delivery to this population.