Background: Old age is a period of life in which elderlies face with complications such as increasing risk of chronic diseases, loneliness, isolation, mental and physical disabilities, and reduction of individual independence. These factors cause the quality of life to reduce.

Objectives: This study compared the quality of life of elderlies in daycare and boarding nursing homes in Semnan, Iran and identified the differences in characteristics of quality of life. It can also help researchers to reduce the problems of elderlies.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 30 elderlies living in boarding nursing homes and 43 in daycare nursing homes. Collecting the data was conducted via a special questionnaire (SF-36), measuring different aspects of quality of life.

Results: On the basis of SF-36 test and comparing various aspects of quality of life among the elderlies residing in boarding and daycare nursing homes, significant differences were observed in domains of quality of life, including physical restrictions (P < 0.001), restrictions in psycho-emotional function (P < 0.001), energy and fatigue (P < 0.008), psycho-emotional function (P < 0.001), social function (P < 0.001), physical pain (P < 0.001), and public health (P < 0.01). However, the difference was not significant in physical function (P = 0.437).

Conclusions: The results showed that the elderlies living in daycare centers had better qualities of lives physically and mentally. Therefore, to improve their qualities of lives in two general physical and mental domains, items such as providing family communications inside or outside the nursing homes as well as planning to fulfill mental and psychological needs besides physical issues like mobility and balance should be considered.