Objectives: Cognitive impairments and negative attitudes toward self, world, and future in the elderly are common problems that cause loss of efficiency, quality of life, and increased mortality among them. This study compared the cognitive triad (negative attitude toward the self, world, and future) between the elderly who residing at homes and nursing care facilities.

Methods & Materials: This study method is causal-comparative and 40 elderly people (20 home residents and 20 living in nursing) were selected for the study. Cognitive triad inventory (CTI) was performed on the elderly. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

Results: The mean age of the participants was 16±68 years. Results showed that there were significant differences between the elderly people in nursing homes and home, with regard to their attitude toward themselves (F=229.87, P<0.001), attitude toward the world (F=138.41, P<0.001), and attitudes towards the future (F=151.62, P<0.001).

Conclusion: Cognitive impairment in the elderly residents of nursing homes compared to the elderly living at homes was significantly greater, i.e. the attitude of elderly people living in their home is better than the elderly living in nursing homes. Practical results of this study can be applied in future studies. Furthermore, cognitive rehabilitation can be considered as a treatment for the elderly negative attitudes.