This article provides a listing of the different assessments that TSOLife utilizes to calculate Quality of Life (QoL) scores. Results for these assessments are gathered during the resident interview process, and the platform maintains an ongoing record so communities can see how resident scores change over time.
Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life (BBQ) Assessment
The BBQ is a validated tool that measures six subjective areas of an individual's life. These areas help to paint a picture of how an individual feels about their life, with a calculated numerical value that is based on their satisfaction with each category:
- Leisure time
- Creativity
- Learning
- Friendships
- How I View Myself
- How I View My Life
The BBQ is valuable because it enables targeted actions that improve the aspects of residents' lives that they feel are most important.
Remember: what's important to one resident may be different for another. This also helps to guide community resource allocation and focus on the aspects of resident living that matter most.
How the BBQ Works
This assessment identifies areas where satisfaction is low but importance is high—key targets for intervention. It includes 12 total questions; two per area.
Specifically:
- Satisfaction items measure how content a person is with a particular life area.
- Importance items indicate how much value a person places on that life area.
Residents are asked to rate a question on one of the six areas from a scale of 0-4 based on satisfaction and importance:
- 0=Very Poor
- 1=Poor
- 2=Neutral
- 3=Good
- 4=Very Good
The satisfaction and importance scores are then multiplied and a single figure is assigned to that particular QoL area. The scores for the six domains are then summed and that is our QoL score.
Total scores range from 0–96, with 45 serving as a benchmark for a "good" quality of life. The below example serves as a practical calculation for a fictional resident:
Self-Rated Quality of Life (srQOL)
Self-Rated Quality of Life (srQOL) is a universal metric that reflects a resident's overall satisfaction with life, validated by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a single-question assessment that was originally used to diagnose mental health issues, but now encompasses physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being.
This metric captures a resident's lived experience, not just symptoms. Low scores often signal unmet needs or increased risk, making srQOL a powerful early indicator for follow-up, support, or intervention.
Self-Rated Health (srH)
Self-Rated Health (srH) is a simple, validated measure capturing an individual's perception of their own health. It is a single-question assessment and is proven to predict mortality, morbidity, functional decline, and healthcare utilization better than objective health data.
It is used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO for population health surveillance and policy development based on trends and disparities.
Individuals with poor srH have over 2x higher risk of death compared to those with excellent srH. The metric reflects lifestyle, social determinants of health (SDOH), physical/cognitive status, and functional ability.
A low srH score highlights unmet needs and potential risk factors driving healthcare costs. Even small interventions, like increasing daily social contact, can improve srH and reduce limitations caused by mobility issues.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
Three questions approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that assess an individual's non-medical factors that are affecting their life and health. This includes: Isolation, housing stability, access to food, and transportation.
Important Things to Remember
- All Quality of Life questions are bold on the questionnaire.
- In order to get a full BBQ score, all questions must be asked and answered.
- Consider incorporating a numeric scale for responses: “On a scale from 0-4, how satisfied are you with your leisure time?” Here, 0 means you are not satisfied, and 4 indicates that you are very satisfied.
- To enhance your comfort and confidence, it might be helpful to have a team member or resident ask you the Quality of Life questions.
- Ask each question one at a time for clarity and focus.
Tips for Interviews
- As you continue asking the questions, you will get more comfortable and let the in-depth conversations flow.
- Keep the conversation natural—feel free to skip around the questions if that feels more organic. Just be sure to revisit any sections you might have missed.
- Don’t hesitate to dig deeper with follow-up questions like, “Can you tell me more about that?”
- Sharing your own experiences can also create a welcoming atmosphere for the resident.
Jump to another article to learn more about Quality of Life:
Quality of Life Overview
Quality of Life Dashboard Walkthrough
Accessing Quality of Life Scores from the Resident Profile