Age-friendly environments and life satisfaction among South Korean elders: person–environment fit perspective

Objectives: Drawing on the person–environment (P–E) fit perspective, this study examined the role of environment on the well-being of vulnerable older adults in a non-western context. Using the indicators from the World Health Organization's (WHO) framework for age friendly cities (ACF), we examined life satisfaction among South Korean older adults, exploring the extent to which multidimensional environmental characteristics are associated with low socioeconomic status (SES). Method: Using the regionally representative data from the Seoul City-wide needs assessment of middle- and old-aged adults, an analytic sample (N = 1657) focused on community-living individuals aged 65 and older. Multilevel regression models examined interaction between SES subgroups and varying aspects of the environment (i.e. physical, social, and service environment) as related to life satisfaction. Results: Consistent with the environmental docility hypothesis, members of the most vulnerable subgroup in the Korean context–older adults who are living alone and poor–are more likely to have higher life satisfaction when they have higher levels of support in physical and social environments. Interestingly, a higher level of support in the service environment was related to lower life satisfaction for this subgroup. Conclusion: This study provides an empirical foundation for efforts to identify age-friendly environmental characteristics as modifiable environmental resources that can improve older adults’ psychological well-being. As the first attempt to use WHO ACF indicators within the P–E fit perspective in a non-Western context, our study provides a foundation for designing support services or programs that effectively meet the needs of vulnerable older adults.