Measuring Quality of Life
Each HCBS provider is unique and the types of assessments will vary based on the people involved and types of services. Many teams struggle to measure changes in quality of life for people receiving services. Although a lot of details are collected in HCBS, it can be difficult to understand and summarize quality of life for a person. One reason for this is that there are different domains or areas that contribute to quality of life. A person might be doing really well in some areas of quality of life but not in others. For this reason, it is not always clear whether a person's quality of life is improving overall.
For example, an older adult over 65 may become a grandparent for the first time and be told by their doctor that they have cancer in the same week. A young adult can find a meaningful new job and lose their home in a house fire. It can be hard to assess quality of life when these types of life events happen all at one time. The examples listed below are used in mental health to think about these different life domains.
- Social – Developing a support system and feeling connected to others
- Emotional - Having the skills to cope with stress and negative life outcomes
- Spiritual – A search for meaning and sense of purpose
- Intellectual – Knowing one’s strengths and expanding wisdom and skills
- Physical – Achieving basic needs related to sleep, physical activity, and diet
- Environmental – Living in positive settings that support well being
- Financial – Satisfaction with current finances and future plans
- Occupational – Obtaining a sense of positive meaning from one’s work