Healthy Aging and Mental Health, Bonfring Publication, Coimbatore, January, 2017 ISBN: 978-93-86176-48-6, Pg: 55-60 QUALITY OF LIFE OF ELDERS RESIDING IN OLD AGE HOME AND IN COMMUNITY * Nirmal S P MSW Student, PG & Research Dept. of Social Work, Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, Vlr Dt. TN ** Dr. K. Arockia Raj Asst. Professor, PG & Research Dept. of Social Work, Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, Vlr Dt. TN *** John Jesai J, MSW Student, PG & Research Dept. of Social Work, Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, Vlr Dt. TN ABSTRACT Aging is an important indicator in measuring the health people in a country. India has experienced a drastic increase in the population of elderly. Expanded life span is expected to indicate better health services and medicines in the country. Elders are mostly attributed to lower or no income group in the society. Quality of Life of elders has been the concern of the society that emphasize and strategies for them. This paper aims to describe the different dimensions of quality of life of the elderly people living in old age home and elders living in communities. Data were collected using the WHOQOL-Brief tool (interview schedule) consisting of 26 statements measuring the quality of life with four dimensions. Elders were stratified as the elders living in old age home and the elders living in community and the data were collected from 25 each using purposive sampling. SPSS was used to process the data and convert the results into tables and diagrams. The secondary source of data enabled the researcher to understand the recreational interests of the elders and the reasons for opting to live in old age homes. The paper revealed that the overall Quality of Life differs by the type of residence of the elders. The elders living in community are found to have higher quality of life than the elders living at old age homes. This empirical paper will enable the society and the likeminded people to empathize and strategies the social and physical structures to enhance the quality of life of elders. Key Word: Elders, Quality of Life and old age home and community. INTRODUCTION Aging is a process of human growth and decay. The life span is changed in countries due to the enhancement of health service facilities. The problems of the aged vary from society to society and have many dimensions in our country. Old age had never been a problem for India where a value based joint family system is supposed to prevail. Indian culture is automatically respectful and supportive of elders. Ageing as a natural phenomenon has all along engaged the attention of the civilized world. Provision for the aged in the society has become one of the constitutive themes of our modern welfare state. However the