Loneliness, Support, and Care Models in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and aim This study compares the quality of life (QoL) and mental health of older adults receiving institutional versus family-based care in Greece, focusing on the role of perceived social support and psychological loneliness. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 600 adults aged ≥65 years using validated instruments (Short Form Health Survey - 12 items, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support - 12 items, and UCLA Loneliness Scale - 20 items. Multivariable linear regression was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0 (Released 2013; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) to identify associations between care setting, psychosocial variables, and QoL outcomes. Results Men reported significantly higher physical QoL scores than women (p = 0.025). Chronic illness and polypharmacy were associated with lower QoL (p = 0.001). Urban residents and insured individuals reported better mental health (p = 0.003; p = 0.007). Unexpectedly, higher loneliness correlated positively with physical health (p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in QoL between care settings. Conclusions The quality of perceived social support plays a more decisive role in shaping older adults' well-being than the type of care environment. These findings support the promotion of relationship-centered models of eldercare.