From Behavioral Patterns to Renewal Needs: How Older Adults’ Daily Activities Reveal Differentiated Renovation Priorities in Urban Old Residential Communities

Population aging and deteriorating housing stock increase the need to renew old residential communities, but how community environments relate to older adults’ QoL and daily behavior remains unclear. Using a mixed-methods design, we examined these associations across three renovation categories (basic, moderate, and advanced) in Hefei, China, with 816 questionnaires from 12 communities, seven-day GPS trajectories from 50 older adults, and case studies of three communities. Factor analysis identified eight environmental dimensions and four QoL domains; category-specific regressions tested their associations. GPS and case observations contextualized survey findings. Associations differed by category. In basic renovation old communities, outdoor spaces and community services were associated with psychological QoL, while roads, building facilities, the built environment, and public facilities were associated with environmental QoL. In moderate renovation old communities, outdoor spaces, roads, and community support facilities were associated with physical QoL; public and community support facilities with psychological QoL; and roads and community support facilities with environmental QoL. In advanced renovation old communities, public facilities, community support facilities, and community services were associated with psychological QoL, while community support facilities and public transportation were associated with environmental QoL. The findings support context-sensitive priorities for age-friendly renewal.