Social Capital’s Importance in Determining Life Satisfaction in Later Life: A Cross-sectional Study Based on Indian Demography

The global population is in the ageing process. Older adults in India comprise 8.60% of the total population, and this proportion is anticipated to increase to 19.50% by 2050. This ageing process impacts health, well-being, and life satisfaction, contributing to healthy ageing. This study examines the importance of social capital in determining life satisfaction in later life. The LASI 2017–18 dataset was used, and the study employed exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the most suitable variables for measuring social capital. The results showed that older adults had a mean of 0.24 friend networks, 0.94 social participation, and 0.19 reciprocity. The odds of life satisfaction increase by 1.20 times (AOR 1.20, CI 1.13–1.28, P ≤ 0.001) when the mean number of friends network increases by one unit. The odds of life satisfaction increased by 1.48 times (AOR 1.48, CI 1.30–1.68, P ≤ 0.001) when one unit increased mean social and civic participation among 60 + older adults. Social capital, such as friend networks and involvement in social activities, boosted older adults’ life satisfaction. These findings can help shape future policies for older adults to increase their life satisfaction.