The Quality of Life Index for Older Adults (A-QLI) is a comprehensive multidimensional measurement tool that reflects the complexity of QoL outcomes in older adults. Outcome information is captured using a three dimensional strategy which measures the responders status, disability and personal evaluation on eight key domains. The instrument measures a full range of health and functional outcomes. Older adults are asked to report on their physical, emotional and social well-being, and to respond to questions about their mood, feelings, personal goals and preferences. In this way the A-QLI is able to capture the individual’s values and desires for improvement. The instrument is balanced allowing for positive and negative outcomes. The A-QLI is designed to be self-administered. However, a scripted version has been constructed for use in a face-to-face or telephone interview and a parallel provider form has been developed. A description of the eight domains follows.

Physical Health

This domain includes questions that measure the respondent’s perceptions of their physical health and the capacity to perform a variety of physical activities which require energy and mobility such as climbing stairs or swimming.

Self Care

This section focuses on respondent’s perceived ability to perform accustomed functions and activities of daily living including the standard late loss ADL’s (i.e. eating, dressing, toileting) and higher functioning ADL’s (laundry, using transportation, cooking) needed for community living.

Pain

Questions in this domain asks about the respondent’s experience or degree of bodily pain and the individual’s perception of the adequacy of pain control with medication.

Social Relations / Support

This domain examines respondent’s degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their social relations and support.

Psychological Well-Being

This domain ascertains the psychological state of the older adult as determined by a self-assessment of the respondent’s internal condition. These questions ask about respondent’s subjective sense of well-being that cannot be inferred from observable behavior alone.

Questions in this domain ask about respondent’s degree of comfort with his/her spirituality, experienced contentment, meaning and purpose of one’s life.

Individual Importance

This domain reflects the respondent’s personal values and the relative importance of domains to the respondent.

Goal Attainment

Here the respondent is asked to list the three most important personal goals for improving his/her life and the extent to which each goal has been achieved.

 Types of Assessment