Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Aging and aging-related services

The Most Costly Chronic Medical Condition in America: Experts Talk About the Rural Aspects of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Describes the impact of Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias in rural areas, the challenges of providing treatment and care, and initiatives underway to address dementia in rural communities.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Characteristics of Counties with the Highest Proportion of the Oldest Old
Policy brief examining the characteristics of communities having the greatest percent of residents ages 85 and older. Discusses documented differences in rural-urban locations in long-term care availability and caregiver supports. Includes a list of counties with the highest proportion of the oldest old, a county-level map with shadings showing proportions of the oldest old, and statistics on county characteristics, with breakdowns by highest-prevalence rural counties, all counties, rural counties, and noncore rural counties.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, Jonathan Schroeder, Cody Tuttle, Samantha Mills
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Older Americans Act: Nutrition Services Program
Provides an overview of the Nutrition Services Program authorized under the Older Americans Act. Describes the administration of the Nutrition Services Program, its funding, service delivery, program participation, and program evaluation. Includes brief rural references throughout.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
AARP Rural Livability Workshop Report
Report describing rural community characteristics with a focus on rural elders. Discusses rural demographics, community dynamics, public spaces, housing transportation, economy, healthy living, broadband access, and disaster readiness.
Author(s): Melissa Stanton, Patricia Oh
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP
view details
Rural Caregivers: Identification of Informational Needs Through Telemedicine Questions
Explores the scope of dementia-related knowledge among attendees of a caregiving telemedicine program in rural Kentucky. Discusses the educational needs of participants regarding dementia as well as implications for the program and further research for similar programs.
Author(s): Shoshana H. Bardach, Allison Gibson, Kelly Parsons, April Stauffer, Gregory A. Jicha
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 1-6
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
view details
Older Americans Act
Official compilation of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended through P.L. 116-131, enacted March 25, 2020. Provides federal funding for programs that support services for older adults. Provides states and localities with the flexibility to decide the allocation of National Family Caregiver Services between the populations served and extends authorization of the RAISE Family Caregiver Act and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act by one additional year. Includes discussion of services to help rural older adults.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
view details
Rates of Living Alone by Rurality and Age
Identifies the percentage rates of adults living alone and within specific age groups using two classifications of rurality: the U.S. Census Bureau definition for rural and urban, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) definition for metropolitan/non-metropolitan county.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Jonathan Schroeder, Mariana S Tuttle
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
2019 Transportation Trends Mental Health and Transportation
Report explores the role transportation plays in providing access to mental healthcare. Highlights a number of programs in both rural and urban communities, as well as resources pertaining to transportation to support mental health.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
view details
Evaluation of Senior Community Centers in Rural and Urban Pennsylvania
Report evaluates Pennsylvania's senior community centers in both rural and urban areas. Details some of the services offered by senior community centers and features county level data.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Janet Ann Melnick, Morgan Silfies, Heather Shanks-McElroy, Emily McElroy
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
view details
Can Age-Friendly Planning Promote Equity in Community Health Across the Rural-Urban Divide in the US?
Utilizes the AARP Livability Index to explore differences in physical and built environment and social environment when comparing rural/urban counties. AARP Livability Index includes data breakdowns such as neighborhood, housing, transportation, and engagement, among others. Discusses additional factors such as income and population that impact community health in rural areas. Explores age-related community planning and its relationship to health challenges and community livability.
Author(s): Xue Zhang, Mildred E. Warner, Elaine Wethington
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(4), 1275
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
view details