Domains of facilities management influencing older adults’ quality of life: a PRISMA-guided systematic review, bibliometric analysis, and integrative framework (2015–2025)

The global rise in the ageing population underlines the need for built environments that enhance the quality of life (QoL) of older adults. Facilities management (FM) plays a critical role in sustaining the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of older adults through effective environmental and service design. However, the intersection between FM and older adults’ QoL remains insufficiently explored. This study systematically maps empirical and conceptual evidence on FM contributions to older adults’ QoL and proposes an integrative conceptual framework. Following PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science databases. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer and biblioshiny, while thematic synthesis was guided by the WHOQOL framework and the ecological model of ageing. In total, 28 studies met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis identified four dominant FM–QoL domains: (1) physical environment and safety management, (2) service quality and psychosocial wellbeing, (3) smart and digital FM systems, and (4) community-oriented facility management. Together, these domains demonstrate how FM integrates environmental, operational, and technological functions to enhance autonomy, comfort, and social inclusion. The review concludes with a conceptual framework that links FM dimensions to QoL outcomes, providing a foundation for future empirical validation, supporting age-friendly policy development and effective healthcare network infrastructures essential for sustaining the wellbeing of rapidly aging societies.