Enhancing Quality of Life: Key Factors from Long-Term Social Care Residents’ Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the most important factors shaping the quality of life in a social care institution from the clients' perspective. This study examines factors beyond direct care that affect the quality of life for clients in social care institutions, focusing on Riga Municipality's Social Care Center "Gailezers". Structured interviews with 95 clients assessed six domains: autonomy, relationships, activities, environment, food, and care quality. This study emphasizes the need to align services with clients' views to enhance their well-being. Based on the results, this study aimed to develop practical proposals for adjusting the content and organization of social care services to better align with the clients' understanding of the factors affecting their quality of life in the institution.