本研究主要在了解失能老人的各種資源、居住安排、決定掌控力與生活品質之間的關係。以訪員親自面訪之方式蒐集資料，總計訪問有效問卷324份，其中社區老人(現非住機構者)199位，機構老人125位。『失能老人』係指至少有一項日常生活活動量表(ADL)或輔助性日常生活活動功能(IADL)需要他人協助者。『機構』的抽樣涵蓋安養、養護及護理之家等設施；『社區』失能老人則以現居住在社區家裡，申請使用居家服務的個案和身心障礙者名冊中去抽樣。 本研究發現老人的資源與居住決定掌控力有顯著的關係，老人所得越高、照顧費用金額越低、日常生活越能自理、使用非正式資源、居住在社區，其居住決定掌控力越高。老人的資源與居住安排的關係，居住在機構的失能老人，其平均年齡較居住在社區者大、以鰥寡者較多、照顧費用較多、經濟來源中較沒有自己可支配的收入、自覺健康較好(但實際ADL計分卻較差，在研究發現中已說明可能因素)、和子女互動頻率變少、較不會主動尋求社區資源。決定掌控力與居住安排方面，居住在社區的老人較居住在機構的老人覺得有居住決定的掌控力。越是有居住掌控力的老人整體生活品質較高。在生活品質方面，住在機構的老人比起住在社區的老人，『自覺』身體較健康，但在其他生活品質面向則均較低。最後由複迴歸分析結果得知，健康資源、經濟資源、家庭資源、社會資源、居位安排決定的掌控力以及居住安排確實可以預測失能老人的生活品質。符合本研究的研究架構與假設。 本研究最後提出實務與政策上的建議，並對研究限制予以討論。

The purpose of this study intended to examine the effect of various resources, living arrangement, and locus of control of living arrangement on quality of life among disabled elderly. Survey research with face to face interview was employed. Feelings and experiences of 324 disabled older persons using structured questionnaires were collected. All of them were cognitively clear and could communicate. Among these subjects, 125 were living in the institutions for disabled elderly, while 199 living in their own homes. The findings indicated that some personal resources in terms of socio­demographic characteristics and health resources, economic resources, family resources as well as social resources did have influences on quality of life. In addition to resources, locus of control on living arrangement and living arrangement also had their effects. More to the point, the disabled elderly who were younger, were healthier, had more income, spent less care expense, had more frequent interactions with adult children, used more informal resources, lived in the community, had larger locus of control, had higher quality of life. The findings support the predictions generated from our research framework. Finally, practice and policy implications are discussed.