Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of life (QOL) and attitudes to ageing in Turkish older adults at two old people's homes (nursing homes) and to explain relationship between QOL and attitudes to ageing. Methods This study is a quantitative and descriptive exploratory study of QOL and attitudes to ageing of older adults in nursing homes in a developing country. Instruments Two international data measurement tools were used for data collection. Data measurement instruments in this study are The World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument–Older Adults Module (WHOQOL‐OLD) and the WHO – Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ). The WHOQOL‐OLD module consists of 24 items assigned to six facets (sensory abilities, autonomy, past, present and future activities, social participation, death and dying and intimacy) AAQ consists of 24 items classified in three domains (psychosocial loss, physical change and psychological growth) with eight items each. Participants The Turkish version of the WHOQOL‐OLD and AAQ was administered to 120 older (>65 years) adults living in two old people's homes in Samsun Province, Turkey. This study was conducted and planned between on 1 November 2011 and on 31 November, 2011. Results The results indicated that there was significant relationship between QOL and attitudes to ageing of older adults. In this study, the highest significant relationship is between psychological growth subscale of attitudes to ageing and sensory abilities subscale of QOL (r = 0.579; P < 0.01). Overall QOL and overall attitudes to ageing had a significant and positive relationship (r = 0.408; P < 0.01). The dimensions of attitudes to ageing (psychosocial loss, physical change and psychological growth) were significant predictors for QOL in older adults in Turkey. It was found that the gender does not affect overall QOL in older adults. However, happiness is significant variable for overall QOL in this study. Conclusion The results suggest that QOL is a complex, multidimensional concept that should be studied at different levels of analysis in Turkey and other developing countries. The results of this study emphasize the importance of QOL in older adults in older people's homes in Turkey and attitudes to ageing of nursing home residents in Turkey.