Lesson 18 — Activity 3: Quality of Life

Warm Up

In this lesson, you will learn about the term quality of life and what factors are considered when assessing quality of life.

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What comes to mind when you hear the phrase quality of life? Do food and water come to mind? How about a good job? Or maybe a roof over your head? How about living in a safe neighbourhood?

Quality of life is a term used to measure well-being. Well-being describes how people feel about their environment. To assess quality of life, researchers look at housing, education, employment, household finances, and other factors.

Quality of life is your personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the conditions under which you live. There are certain aspects of quality of life that everyone would probably agree on as being important such as personal safety and security, health issues, comfort, and adequate housing and schooling.

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The five indicators that help determine a person's quality of life are economic, social, physical, psychological, and political.

The list below gives examples of some of the indicators of what people in Canada agree to be important in order to have a good quality of life. These indicators fit within the ones mentioned above. They are either economic, social, physical, psychological, or political indicators.

Work

Work contributes to individual and social well-being in many ways. It is the main source of income for most Canadians and their families, which allows them to satisfy their basic needs and pursue other interests.

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Learning

Learning contributes to the social and economic well-being of individuals. Education and training provide individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to participate effectively in society and the economy. Participation in education and training can offer personal pleasure and pride in one's accomplishments and open the door to new opportunities that can improve one's standard of living.

Financial Security

Financial security is about achieving material well-being. It's about having an adequate income to meet basic needs such as housing, food, and clothing. It's also about being able to take advantage of opportunities and lead a rewarding life.

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Family Life

The family serves basic social and economic roles that affect well-being. Families earn income, care for physical and emotional needs, have children, and participate in the community.

Housing

A safe and comfortable place to live is important to our sense of well-being. When housing is inadequate or unavailable, individuals as well as the community well-being may suffer.

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Social Participation

Whether we live in the crowded city or in a quieter, less-populated rural area, most of us are part of the community in which we live. Social participation refers to people's social involvement and interaction with others. Activities such as volunteering, making donations, participating in sports, and recreational activities are all forms of social participation. While Canadians may differ in why, how, and how much they get involved, most would agree that social participation improves their own and the community's well-being.

Leisure

Leisure, or free time, provides important personal and social benefits. Involvement in leisure activities typically provides enjoyment and relaxation, reduces stress, and often improves mental health and physical fitness.

Health

Health has an impact on so many aspects of an individual's life that it is hard to discuss well-being without taking it into consideration. Good health allows individuals to strengthen their development, thereby allowing them to live productive and rewarding lives. Health is central to a vibrant learning environment for children and youth. Physical and mental health is important for families and individuals throughout the course of their lives.

Security

Security is a very important component of well-being that involves safety and protection from harm. It also involves individual and community perceptions of safety, which can be just as important to well-being as the threats of harm.

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Environment

The well-being of Canadians is linked to their physical environment. The state of the environment influences a person's health status and overall well-being. In turn, human activities, such as driving to work or living in larger homes, subsequently affect the quality of the environment.

Try This!

Think about all of the quality of life indicators mentioned above. What does quality of life mean to you? Fill in the following organizer.

Click here to download a copy of the organizer. Print it off, complete it, and then hand it in to your teacher.

Click on the Play button below to watch a video on quality of life.