[Development of evaluation indicators for service housing for older people: Focusing on social participation and...

Objectives　Valid indicators for evaluating housing environments and services must be developed to enhance the quality of services provided in service housing for older people (SHOP) and provide a better living environment for residents. This study aimed to develop evaluation indicators for SHOP by examining their associations with residents' health and well-being at the facility and individual levels.Methods　Survey data collected between February and March 2023 from 39 SHOP facilities (Sekisui House Realty Tokyo, Ltd) were analyzed. Individual-level analysis included 1,085 residents aged ≥65 years (average age: 83.9 ± 6.5years). Facility-level analysis involved 883 residents (average age: 83.7 ± 6.5years) from 25 facilities, with ≥20 respondents each. Outcome indicators included three health (depression, dementia risk, and frailty) and nine well-being indicators across four domains (happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, and close social relationships). Twenty-eight SHOP evaluation indicators related to social participation, communication and information, outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, and housing were developed using an age-friendly cities and communities' framework. Facility-level analysis used Spearman's rank correlation based on the proportion of binary indicators. Individual-level analyses used multiple regression for continuous outcomes and modified Poisson regression for binary outcomes, adjusted for age, sex, and other covariates. Indicators were classified into "key," "moderately relevant," or "limited" based on their consistent association with outcomes at both analysis levels.Results　At the facility level, 16 indicators (57.1%) showed significant associations with at least one health and well-being outcome. At the individual level, 23 indicators (82.1%) exhibited significant associations. Fourteen indicators (50.0%) consistently showed significant associations at both levels. Among these, eight were classified as "key," four as "moderately relevant," and two as "limited."Conclusion　Eight "key" indicators can be used for evaluating SHOP: social participation (sports, hobbies, learning groups, sharing skills and experiences), communication and information (laughter, friends for interaction, and conversations with non-family members), and housing (satisfaction with one's own room). These indicators may serve as a guide for quality improvements and enhance resident well-being in SHOP settings.