Chapter 1 A Comparison of Four Person-Environment Fit Models Applied to Older Adults

Inthispaper, we comparefour Person-Environment(P-E) Fit models in terms of their ability to predict well-being among older adults. The models tested include: Lawton and Nahemow's (1973) competence model (model 1); Carp and Carp's (1984) congruence model (model 2); and two models based on Kahana's (1982) proposition that subjective prioritizing of multi-level environmental needs is a required element of P-E fit measures. The first priority model (model 3) represents unmet needs in the environmental domain with the highest subjective priority. The weighted priority model (model 4) scales P-E scores according to the prioritization of all environmentaldomains under study. A total sample of 174 seniors dwelling in the Vancouver community were used in this research; divided into a vulnerablesub-sample of Adult Day Care (ADC) clients (n = 115) and a non-frail community sub-sample (n = 59). Lawton's (1997) Valuation of Lifescale (VOL)was used as a measure of well-being. Model 4 was found to predict the largest amount of variance in VOL for the total sample and both sub-samples, after controlling for several covariates. Model 3 was the second best model in predicting VOL for the ADC sample, whereas model 2 wasthe second best predictor of VOL for the non-frail sample. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for theory development, for explaining research showing that frail and non-frail older persons exhibit similar levels of well-being, and for client-centered service program-ming.