Rising global temperatures and the increasing frequency of heat waves present significant challenges to the sustained independent living of the elderly population, whose physiological vulnerability to extreme heat is heightened. Concurrently, the increasing desire for ageing-in-place necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the multi-dimensional factors that underpin and support an elderly individual's capacity to maintain autonomy. The aim of this research was to rigorously validate the constructs representing the key determinants of independent living capacity among community-dwelling elderly people, particularly within the context of climate change adaptation.
Based on a survey of 1755 elderly residents in Auckland, this study employed a statistical approach, with a primary focus on Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), to establish the reliability and validity of the measurement model for key latent constructs. CFA was systematically utilised to test the underlying factor structure of the hypothesised determinants of independent living, ensuring that the indicators accurately and distinctly measure their intended concepts.
The CFA results demonstrated excellent model fit, confirming the distinctiveness and strong psychometric properties of the measurement scales. Specifically, the analysis validated a clear and reliable factor structure for five principal latent variables that collectively govern independent living: House, Health, Socio-economic, Behavioural, and Community and Environment. This statistical validation ensures that these multi-item measures possess the necessary structural integrity for use in subsequent structural equation modelling to identify causal pathways. These empirically confirmed factors provide an evidence-based foundation for developing a holistic, multi-factorial framework designed to enhance the long-term, sustainable independent living and thermal resilience of the elderly population.